Change Of Pace
by Siddalee1051
Summary: EG and a lot more. Concentrates mainly on the kids: Grace, Eli, Jessie and Zoe. AUTHORS NOTE! PLEASE READ! ITS IN CHAPTER 32 FOR RIGHT NOW!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Change of Pace  
  
Author: Siddalee (bookchick05@yahoo.com)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own once and again or any of the characters  
  
Comments: This was one of my first POSTED O&A fics. I posted it on an EZboard account board. But now here.  
  
Summery: This is about everyone really. Lilly had twins, a girl and boy. This has, Jessie and Katie, with another girl. This has, Grace and Eli. This has Zoe and new character. And Rick and Lilly of course. And even Karen and Henry. Even some Tiffany and Jake...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The family was all in a peaceful slumber. Their calm breathing and sweet dreams seemed to give the house a warm feeling. The daylight began to peak through the windows and doorways. Some turned away, not wanting to face the day. Then, the clock came down to the final resting minute, and alarm clocks went off one by one.  
  
Finally the house became crowded with the family. They all woke up, got dressed, and started their daily rush. The day had just begun and already problems started between the family members. It was just a normal morning in the Manning/Sammler household.  
  
The only one still asleep was the baby girl. Her twin brother was wide awake, ready to face his own day. Their older sister, Grace Manning, tip toed into the room and grabbed her little brother, Brian. She quickly checked her sister, Holly, and then walked out of the room.  
  
"I need your help," Grace smiled and brought him into her room. She sat him on her bed with a pillow to help him sit up. "I have three outfits and I need your help to pick one out." She picked up a blue blouse and jeans and showed the to him. "This?" When he didn't react she shook her head. She picked up a pink shirt the spagetti straps and a pair of black jeans and showed them to him. He smiled. "Okay." She tossed it on the bed. "Last one!" She grabbed a white sleeveless blouse and a plad skirt. He didn't react.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace smiles up at the camera with the outfit she's going to wear that day. "It's always good to have a guy's opinion on what you're gonna wear."~*  
  
She put it back and then turned the radio on. She pulled pajama pants off and shoved on the black jeans. Then she went behind her brother's back to change her shirt. When she was down she picked him up and started to dance with him on her hip. He had one of those adorable smiles on his face.  
  
"Met a girl, thought she was grand  
  
fell in love, found out first hand  
  
went well for a week or two  
  
then it all came unglued  
  
in a trapp trip I can't grip  
  
never thought I'd be the one who'd slip  
  
then I started to realize  
  
I was living one big lie."  
  
Eli stopped outside of Grace's door, hearing the radio blasting. He opened the door a crack and looked in. He smiled to see Grace and Brian dancing. She had his hand in one of hers and he she was slowly dancing in circles with him to the up beat song. Then she began to speed up.  
  
"She hates me  
  
Trust  
  
She f***** hates me  
  
la la la la love  
  
I tried to hard  
  
and she tore my feelings  
  
like I had none  
  
and ripped them away."  
  
Eli knocked on the door and walked in. Grace stopped, twisted around, and smiled at him. Her hair fell into her face when she fell back a little. He leaned against the door frame ad shook his head.  
  
"Having fun?" he asked.  
  
She smiled. "Of course. Just having a little bonding time with my brother."  
  
Eli laughed. He looked at Grace as if he were seeing her for the first time. She looked beautiful. She had only a little bit of make up on with an outfit that brought out her beautiful eyes. He felt a strange jump in his stomach and he back further into the wall.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli is sitting on the chair. "Not now, Eli. Not now."~*  
  
Grace walked over to the sterio and shut it off. "Sorry, to loud?"  
  
"Oh, um, no," Elii stuttered. "Not at all. No, no, not really."  
  
Grace laughed and shook her head. "You okay?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"Perfect," Eli said with a fake smile. He stopped and shakes his head.~*  
  
Grace handed Brian to him and walked over to her closet. "You sure?" she asked as she took out her jean jacket. She shoved it on and sat down to put her shoes on.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "He can't hide it. I can't stand it. I know him way to well. I hate knowing what he's thinking. probably because he's never thinking about me."~*  
  
"Yeah," Eli said. He looked at Brian. "I'll just take him downstairs." 


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2  
  
Jessie ran out of the house and froze at the side walk. She looked back to see Zoe and Lilly with baby Holly by the car. Katie was going to pick her up but she hadn't showed up yet. She crossed her arms and started to tap her foot. Then she turned to see a familiar car coming down the street.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"She's never on time," Jessie smiles up into the camera.~*  
  
The car pulled up and Jessie went to climb in. She stopped when she saw another girl. Katie had her sun glasses on and looked cute in her outfit. The other girl was beautiful with a short skirt and a tank top. Jessie felt her stomach get flodded with jealousy.  
  
"Jess, this is Heather," Katie introduced them. "Heather, this is my girlfriend, Jessie."  
  
Heather smiled big, making Jessie even more jealous of the beautiful girl. "It's nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind, Katie invited me to the movie."  
  
"No, it's okay," Jessie said and jumped into the back. As Katie drove off and question came into Jessie's mind. "So, you two go to college together?"  
  
"Yeah," Katie answered. "Heather is one of my professer's daughters."  
  
"I'm a freshman to this year," Heather jumped in. "It's great to find a friend who isn't after me for the good grades." Katie and her laughed. "So, Jess? What grade are you in? Katie tells me you're still in high school."  
  
"Yeah, I'm a junour this year," Jess smiled. "In two years I'm going to go to college with Katie."  
  
"Well, just think of it this way, you have another friend to greet you," Heather said. She looked out the window and then over at Katie. "So, I was thinking about this appartment thing. I found this one over on Witty Road. It has three bedrooms! Not to mention it's cheep and totally affordable-"  
  
"Hold on," Katie stopped her. "I haven't talked to Jessie about it."  
  
"Appartment?" Jessie asked, surprised.  
  
Heather looked back. "Sorry, I forgot she hadn't told you yet."  
  
"Heather and I are going to get an appartment," Katie said as she pulled the car into a parking space. She twisted around so they were all facing each other. "We're looking for three rooms. One for me, one for Heather, and one for you. I was hoping you would move in with us after high school."  
  
"Really?" Jessie smiled.  
  
"Of course," Katie said with a pleading look. "So, will you? We can even tell your parent's that it's just three friends moving in together. I know how you get about telling them we're more."  
  
Jessie leaped forward from the back seat and hugged her. "I will totally move in with you."  
  
Heather smiled. "Great! Maybe after the movie we can go look at the appartment."  
  
After the movie they arrived at a huge appartment building. Jessie and Katie looked at it in surprise. They never knew the building was there. Heather crossed her arms and walked inside, Jessie and Katie at toe.  
  
"Hi, I'm Heather Parker," she said to the man at the desk. "I'm here to look at the room."  
  
The man smiled and showed them to a large room on the seventh floor. The three of them were amazed at how large the room was. They looked at each other quickly, all of them with huge smiles on their faces. Jessie and Katie nodded at Heather and then they turned to the man.  
  
"We'll take it," they said in unison.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie just stares at the camera in awe.~*  
  
Jessie got home with a smile planted on her face. The whole family was in the kitchen helping get ready for dinner. Eli looked at his sister as she walked into the kitchen. Then Grace froze and looked at her. She never saw Jessie look so cheerful. Then Grace and Eli exchanged a glance.  
  
"Hello, everybody," Jessie greeted them.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace stares at the camera. "What?"~*  
  
"Hi, Jess," Grace said and put two plates on the table.  
  
"Did you have fun?" Lilly asked.  
  
"Yes," Jessie smiled. "Not to mention I have a new place to live after high school!"  
  
Rick froze. "You have a what?"  
  
"Katie, me and her new friend Heather are moving in together," Jessie told him. They're moving in now, and when I graduate I'm moving in! Isn't that great? I know it's like a year away, but I can't wait."  
  
"You're not going to talk to me about this?" Rick asked.  
  
Eli, Grace and Zoe looked at each other. Not the best time to tell everybody. Jessie knew the rules, before planning on moving out, discuss it with Rick and Lilly. Even Zoe knew the rules.  
  
"Did you guys see the new hand towels in the bathroom?" Zoe asked Grace and Eli.  
  
"I thought that was just a rumor," Eli said and then the three of them ran out of the kitchen.  
  
Jessie smiled at her father. "What's wrong? I already told you I was planning on moving out after high school. This is just a way of actually going through with it."  
  
"But, Jess, I've never even seen this place," Rick said. Lilly walked over with Brian in her arms. "We've never even met Heather. How can we trust her?"  
  
"Maybe you should invite her over," Lilly recommended. "That way, we meet her and know about her. We'll even invite Karen and Henry. That way we all get to know her. Sound good, Jess? Rick?"  
  
Jessie smiled at Lilly and then she looked over at Rick with a pleading look. "Please, dad. Please."  
  
"We're all free Saturday," Rick said.  
  
Jessie hugged her father. "Thank you, thank you."  
  
Lilly walked to the stairs. "It's safe now!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Rick put Holly into her crib and turned to Lilly. She placed Brian into his crib and kissed his forhead. Then she noticed her husband staring at her. She sighed and then they both walked to their room. She knew exactly what Rick was thinking. It was written all over his face.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Lilly sighs. "I know that I'm not her mother. But don't I have a say?"~*  
  
"It was a good idea," Rick said. Lilly looked at him, surprised at what he just told her. "I mean, Karen can come over and we can all meet Heather. All of us, as a family."  
  
"Thank you, honey," Lilly said and lay down in bed.  
  
Rick sat next to her and pulled the covers over both of them. "I just can't picture Jessie out of the house. She's been with me forever. I know it's a year until she leaves, but this just helps me realize my little girl has a life outside these walls."  
  
"You're just realizing this?" Lilly laughed.  
  
"I know, I should know this," Rick said.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Rick shakes his head. "I still remember when I held Jessie for the first time. She was so beautiful and tiny. I fell in love with her. I never knew that she would have an actual life. A life I knew nothing about."~*  
  
Lilly shook her head. "No you shouldn't. I didn't know Grace had a life until the Mr. Dimitri thing. I found out she had her own thoughts and that she could think without me. It takes every parent a long time."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Lilly smiles. "Grace was beautiful as a baby. I'll always see her as my baby. I'll always see all of my children that way."~*  
  
"Grace is so grown up now," Lilly said. "Soon, Zoe will pull away. Now she tells me almost everything. But she's becoming a teenager. It's tough to go through it."  
  
"When did our kids grow up?" Rick asked and lay his head on his pillow.  
  
"Around the time we started asking questions," Lilly answered, "and they stopped answering."  
  
The next morning Rick was in the kitchen, thinking about all of his kids. Eli was very smart and had already grown up. He thought he had years to go with Jessie. He never thought she was actually planning to move away. Not even Eli had done that yet. His twenty year old son still lived in his garage.  
  
He wished Jessie would do the same. Stay in the house that is. He wanted to know where she was sleeping, when she was sleeping, and when she was awake, where she was going. Whenever she moved out it would be hard to do this. He hated knowing that. When Jessie was gone it wouldn't be the greatest day of his life, and it hurt to know it would be one of her's.  
  
"Hey, Rick," Grace smiled as she walked into the kitchen. She grabbed a mug and started to pour herself some coffee. "You okay? You look like you didn't sleep last night."  
  
"Well, I didn't," Rick laughed. "This is really getting to me. Why does Jessie want to leave? I just can't believe she would rather live with friends then her family."  
  
Grace froze and looked at her stepfather. "I think that's something she will tell you soon enough."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace looks down. "When is Jessie going to confess it? When is she just gonna spit it out? 'Hey mom, dad, I'm gay.' That's all it takes. I just want to scream at her!"~*  
  
Eli walks throught the back door. "Morning."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace shakes her head. "Then there's me, with my own screwed up life. 'Hey, E, I'm in love with you.' Yeah that's all it takes."~*  
  
"Hey," Rick smiled at his son. Grace just smiled at Eli. She was actually out of words. "What are you doing today?"  
  
"I'm just going to stay here," Eli answered his father.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Rick laughs. "At least Eli's still a kid."~*  
  
Grace sips her coffee. "Copy-cat," she laughed. Eli took the coffee from her hands. As he walked over to the table Grace playfully slapped him and grabbed herself another mug. "Jerk."  
  
Rick looked at the two of them playing around. He felt confused. They always flirted, he always saw that. He knew Lilly always hated it though. He noticed how Grace and Eli always had their own little world, the world not even Rick himself knew how to enter. He loved that Eli had that kind of person. He was also glad it was Grace.  
  
Zoe walked into the kitchen with her hair pulled into a pony tail and all ready for school. She quickly looked around the empty kitchen. She sat her bookbag down and then started looking for something to eat for breakfast. Then she shut the fridge door and sighed.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Zoe is shaking her head. "You'd think we'd have something to eat with all the teenagers in the house."~*  
  
Jessie walked into the kitchen and tossed her bookbag down next to Zoe's. Then she walked over to the fridge as well and opened it up. She tilted her head a little, when she saw nothing she shut the door and sighed as well.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie shakes her head. "You'd think we'd have something to eat with all the teenagers in the house."~*  
  
She grabbed her bookbag and tossed it over her shoulder. "Dad, are you driving today?" She grabbed and apple and looked at her father.  
  
"Eli," Rick pointed to his son.  
  
"Yes, sir," Eli rolled his eyes. "Just hurry up you two."  
  
Grace grabbed the coffee from Eli and didn't bother to get herself another cup. "Thank you."  
  
Jessie froze when she saw this move. Zoe smiled. She wanted them together. The sooner the better. Jessie, on the other hand, hated their flirting. She hated everything they did together. She turned her head away and grabbed a coat. Eli shook his head and then grabbed his keys.  
  
"Ready, Zoe?" Eli asked her.  
  
Zoe grabbed her back pack and her coat. "Sure."  
  
When the three left Grace looked back over at Rick. "You still have Zoe."  
  
"We all still have Zoe," Rick smiled. "Not to mention Brian and Holly still have years to go. But, it still gets to me. Jessie wants to leave, she doesn't want to stay here."  
  
"Can you blame here?" Grace asked. "She's a teenage girl who feels like she's been locked up for the past sixteen years! So, after this is all over, she's leaving and no one can stop her. I would be gone to if I wanted to."  
  
Rick looked at her with a questioning look. "That's right. You stayed. What kept you here?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace stares forward with wide eyes.~*  
  
Grace leaned against the counter. "Well, a lot of things. There's Brian and Holly, and Zoe and mom and you, and even Jessie. She could use another teenage girl around."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"Eli," Grace adds.~*  
  
"Also, with tuition I can't afford an appartment," Grace continued. "Home is close to school. This just seemed like a better idea. Mom could use my help around here. With the babies and..."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"Eli!" she groans.~*  
  
She stopped and smiled at him. "Get it?"  
  
"Sure, sure," Rick teased her. He knew the 'and' part. The part she didn't bother to mention. The part that just happened to be his son. She had just started babbling and he noticed how she seemed to panic. He got up and grabbed a cup of coffee. 


	4. Chapter 4

PART 4  
  
Karen placed the two plates into the sink and turned to Henry. He smiled at her. They had been dating for a little under a year and already they were engaged. Both of them saying that life was to short. The only problem was that they had to tell her kids. She didn't think it would be the best conversation in the world.  
  
"So, when do we tell them?" Henry asked. "I know you're thinking about it. It's written all over face."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Karen is smiling. "Only because I'm totally obvious."~*  
  
"I just, I think they should know," Karen explained. "And, well, I... we, were invited over to Rick and Lilly's to dicuss something about Jessie. We're all having dinner this Saturday. I was thinking, we bring Jessie and Eli here and sit them down. They won't be heart broken because they love you and all. It's just I want to tell them soon and here."  
  
"Okay," Henry smiled and kissed her forhead. "I have to get to work."  
  
When he left Karen let out a sigh. She hoped her kids would love it. After Rick and Lilly's wedding, and Jessie's problems with it, she wondered if it was a good idea. Jessie almost had another break down when Lilly got pregnant. But, Katie held her together. Karen was so glad the her daughter had Katie there for her.  
  
"Mom!" a familiar voice came from the door.  
  
Karen felt herself jump inside. "Eli?" she asked and walked over to the door. "Hey, baby."  
  
Eli smiled at his mother's words. 'Baby.' It always made him feel like his mother's little boy. "Hi mom, what are you up to?"  
  
"Just about to do dishes," she informed him, Eli should have taken that as his warning. "Or, sense I have a beautiful son who loves me so much, he could do it for me."  
  
"Walked right into that one," Eli sighed and walked over to the sink. He noticed the amount of plates and dishes their were and smiled over at Karen. "Have a little sleep over, mom?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Karen stares at the camera with surprise on her face. "What did he just say?"~*  
  
"Eli!" Karen jumped.  
  
"Hey, I can handle it," Eli laughed and put a dish into the drain board. "So, it's really serious between you two?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli scratches his head. "Henry is great. He makes my mom really happy. I haven't seen that glow on her face sense dad. Truth is, I hope they get married. You know, so mom can be as happy as Lilly and dad."~*  
  
"Is that a problem?" Karen jumped, hoping her son wasn't upset. "If you don't like him, I'll break up with him. I'll end it. As long as your happy."  
  
"Mom, are you happy?" Eli asked.  
  
"Yeah," Karen answered.  
  
"Then I am," he said as a smile spread across his face. Karen felt joy rising inside of her. "And Jessie is to. So don't worry about her. She wants you to be happy. Her exact words were, 'I want mom to be happy. Like me.' Don't ask. I'm confused with that one."  
  
Karen lets out a chocked laugh. "So, um, what about you?"  
  
"What about me?" Eli asked, putting another dish into the drain.  
  
Karen leaned against the counter and looked her son over. "You're getting red. I know the signs. There must be a girl, but it must be difficult. Very difficult." She studied him some more. "It's Grace."  
  
"Mom!" Eli jumped.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"Damn mother's intuition," Eli shakes his head."~*  
  
"What?" Karen asked. "It's okay, I won't say anything. I just think you should go for it. So what if it's a bad idea. If worse comes to worse you can move in here. Or Grace can get her own place or live with her father. But, I think you won't be happy until you-"  
  
Eli shut off the water. "Please, can we not talk about this," he said and dried his hands.  
  
"Okay, okay," Karen surrendered. "But, the happy thing goes both ways, you know? All I want for you is to be happy. I want you to share in my happiness and Jessie's apparent happiness. Why do you have to be left out?"  
  
"Okay, see this is still talking about it," Eli snapped.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Karen smiles at the camera. "Eli never really got what he wanted. It was always to difficult or something. I just wish he could reach for something and get it. Why does it always have to be the same?"~*  
  
"Sorry," Eli appologized. "Just let's stop talking about it."  
  
Karen kissed his cheek. "One more thing. I'm pretty sure I have taught you to want something and grab it. So, think about this. Why won't you grab this?"  
  
After Eli left Karen couldn't help but wonder about him. She was always worried about her kids. But Eli had been different sense Grace decided to stay at Rick and Lilly's place for college. It must have hit him hard in the stomach.  
  
The phone rang and Karen walked over to get it. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Karen," Henry's voice broke through the line. "I was thinking about something."  
  
"What was that?" Karen asked with a smile.  
  
"Well, about telling your kids about the wedding thing. Shouldn't you have a ring? Not only that, shouldn't it be like a moment. Not just take them back to your place. I mean, me cook dinner for the four of us and then tell them."  
  
Karen smiled. "You want to make it special?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Karen sitting on the stool with a smile. "Special? He's so sweet. I know my kids will love him. It's obvious."~*  
  
"Is that okay?" Henry asked. "I want to run this idea through you. So, what do you think? We can do it tonight. I'll get off early and come to cook."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Karen has a huge smile and her hands are clapped together.~*  
  
"Thank you," Karen said.  
  
"You're welcome," he answered. 


	5. Chapter 5

PART 5  
  
Zoe sat down at the lunch table and took a quick look around the lunch room. She let out a sigh, no one was sitting with her. She had friends, but they had better friends. It was horrible for her. She hated it. Grace always said it runs in the family, Zoe always said it was because she was a geek.  
  
"Hey, can I sit here?" another girl came to the table.  
  
Zoe looked up. "Oh, yeah, sure."  
  
She watched as the girl sat across the table. She had long blonde hair with a flower by her ear. Her cloths had flowers all over them and the skirt went down to her knees. Underneath her skirt were baggy jeans. She looked out of style. She looked stuck in the past.  
  
"I'm Sunflower, but you can call me Sunny," she explained to Zoe.  
  
"I'm Zoe," Zoe smiled. "So, um, is the flower real?"  
  
Sunny stopped and looked at her. "Oh, yeah. My parents are stuck in the 70s. They still think hippies live. All I know, is they're trying to pull me in the 70s, hoping I would start it up again."  
  
"Wow," Zoe said. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah, it's not that great," she laughed.  
  
"Sunny!" a voice came from across the room and then a boy sat next to her. "Hey."  
  
"Hey," Sunny smiled. "Alex, this is Zoe. Zoe, this is Alex. He and I are best friends."  
  
Alex smiled at Zoe. "Hi."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Zoe smiles. "Okay, wow. What was that? It was this weird jump in my stomach."~*  
  
"Hi," Zoe smiled back.  
  
Zoe got home after school and shoved her book bag down. Jessie looked over at her. Zoe looked as if a bus had just hit her. She was nervous though. Her hands were shaking and she was pacing.  
  
"Everything okay?" Jessie asked.  
  
Zoe stopped. "No... Oh yeah, there is that whole crush thing. Jess, help! I can't have a crush. I'm to young for commitment."  
  
"Zoe, calm down," Jessie laughed. "It's just a crush. You got years ahead of you."  
  
Zoe took a deep breath. "I invited him over."  
  
"What?" Jessie asked.  
  
"Not just him, him and his friend Sunny," Zoe explained. "We're going to do homework and get to know each other. His name is Alex. He's really cute and..." She let her voice trail off when her mother walked into the room. "Hey, mom."  
  
"Hey, honey," Lilly smiled. "You two have fun at school?"  
  
Zoe and Jessie looked at each other then back up at Lilly. "No," they said in unison.  
  
"Um, mom, I have two friends coming over," Zoe said to her mother in a pleading voice. "Can they please, please come tonight? We're all going to do homework."  
  
"How many?" Lilly asked.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Zoe sighs. "She doesn't know about my friend situation. Can't hold it against her."~*  
  
"Just two," Zoe answered and smiled.  
  
Lilly looked her daughter over. "Okay. But they can't stay late."  
  
"Thanks, mom," Zoe said. "You're the greates-"  
  
The phone rang and Lilly picked it up. "Hello?... Oh, hey. She's right here." She puts the phone out to Jessie. "It's your mom."  
  
Jessie grabbed the phone. "Hey, mom, what's up?"  
  
"Henry and I are having a dinner tonight," Karen answered. "We want you and Eli to join us. It's kind of important."  
  
"Sure, I'll be there," Jessie replied. "Um, Eli went out so I'll get him to call you back. Or, I'll just drag him over."  
  
"Great," Karen smiled. "Well, dinner is at seven. I should go. Love you."  
  
"Love you to, mom," Jessie answered and hung up. She looked over at Lilly. "Eli and I are going to mom's for dinner. She says it's important."  
  
"Okay," Lilly smiled. "Guess this will make it easier to take care of Zoe and her friends."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Lilly sighs with relief. "Thank God. It's not exactly easy being a mother to seven kids, but to have them and their friends over isn't the funnest thing to do. It's not even smart."~*  
  
"Well, we should go over the rules," Zoe said to her mother. "Sunny's parents are hippies, dopn't tease her. Her parents make her dress that way, and she was raised to be the way she is. And Alex, his dad left him. DSon't bring it up. Don't offer cherries to him, apparently he's allergic. And if I am shaking my head no then listen to me and stop whatever you are doing." With that she ran from the kitchen.  
  
"So, why does Zoe's friends come with an instruction manual?" Jessie asked.  
  
Lilly shrugged. "This will be tough." 


	6. Chapter 6

PART 6  
  
Jessie walked into her mother's house with Eli at toe. The great smell of the food greeted them with warm arm. Karen ran from the kitchen and hugged her kids. Jessie felt as if her mother was getting ready to burst. Her smile gave a glow to her face like Jessie or Eli had never seen before.  
  
"Hi, Henry," Jessie said as they walked into the kitchen. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It smells great."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie is sitting on the stool. "I think I might actually learn to love him. I already think he's a great guy."~*  
  
"Thank you," Henry smiled. "It's almost ready."  
  
Karen watched as her son hung his jacket by the door. "So, have you thought about what I said?"  
  
"No," Eli said and then walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Henry."  
  
"Hey, E," Henry smiled over at him.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli stares at the camera. "Dad usually calls me 'E'. Not anyone else really. I dont know why, but I hate it when Henry calls me it."~*  
  
Not to long later, they all sat down for dinner. It was spagetti and meatballs, with some garlic bread for the side. Jessie just ate some spagetti with some meatless sauce that everyone had to make for her. They all had small conversations. Mostly about Jessie and what colleges she were thinking about. Henry telling her to keep her options open.  
  
After dinner they continued their conversation in the living room. Karen and Henry looked as if they were still about to burst. Jessie was annoyed though. All the conversation about college was getting to her. She didn't want to have options, she only wanted one college, the one Katie was in.  
  
"Um, guys, Henry and I have some news," Karen smiled. Eli and Jessie looked over at them. "We've decided to get married." She looked at them, waiting for their answer.  
  
"Congradulations," Jessie leaped forward and hugged them. "This is so great."  
  
"Yeah," Eli smiled and hugged his mother, and gave Henry a simple hand shake. "Congradulations."  
  
Jessie walked back into her father's house. Eli kept his hands in his pockets, not feeling as excited about the new marriage. He was happy that his mother was happy, he just didn't know why they were going so fast. It wasn't a smart idea.  
  
Grace was sitting on the kitchen counter with a magazine in her hands. She didn't even look up when the two of them walked in. Why bother? She knew who it was. She had been in the same place sense Zoe's friends arrived. With all the rules it didn't seem smart to even think about moving.  
  
Jessie just walked out of the kitchen and up to her room to call Katie. Eli sat at the table and lay his head down. Grace flipped another page in the magazine, trying not to look, but her eyes wondered over to him. He looked depressed. So she closed the magazine and lay it on the counter beside her.  
  
"Want to talk?" she asked.  
  
"It is way to soon," Eli blurted out.  
  
"Okay, so, not right now," Grace said and hoped off the counter.  
  
Eli lifted his head and looked at her. "Not you. Mom and Henry. They're getting married. It's to soon, way to soon. I know they love each other, but they're rushing something that's one of the most important things they would ever do. It's really big. Really, really, really big. When they get married they won't even know each other. It would be like meeting each other for the first time-"  
  
"Eli!" Grace jumped in. "You're starting to get on my nerves." He looked at her with a confused look. "They love each other, right? So, let that be enough. God, only if you would take their chances. Maybe this is big, but to them, it's huge! But, they know they can make it. So, stop complaining and let it happen!"  
  
"Are you okay?" Eli asked.  
  
Grace stopped after realizing her voice must have been rising. "I'm fine."  
  
"You sure?" he asked and stood up. "You're going crazy on me."  
  
"I just had a bad day," Grace said. "I should have warned you."  
  
"What happened?" Eli asked.  
  
Grace looked around to make sure no one was around. Then she grabbed her book bag and pulled out a paper from her English class. First she stared at it then handed it over. Eli almost dropped it when he saw the grade. Then he noticed her face. She looked worried and upset.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli shakes his head. "What am I supposed to say?"~*  
  
"An 'F'?" Eli asked in a whisper. "This is your major, you can't screw up."  
  
"I know!" Grace screamed and grabbed it from his hands. She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. This just can't happen. It has me thinking if I should even stay in college. Do you know how horrible that is?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace looks like she's going to cry. "As soon as I saw the grade I told myself it wasn't worth it. Is it worth it?"~*  
  
"I almost didn't finish high school," Eli reminded her. She let out a sigh. "This is only one paper. There are plenty more where you can make it up." Grace stood in silence wishing Eli's reasuring voice would calm her down. "It's only on paper. You'll just have to do better on the next one. Okay?"  
  
"Sort of," Grace smiled at him. "So, um, anyway, are you okay with the whole marriage thing?"  
  
Eli laughed. "Change of subject."  
  
"I had to try," Grace let out a chocked laugh.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace laughs. "It's never any use."~*  
  
"But, if you must know, I do want my mom happy," Eli informed her. "But, she can be happy with Henry even when they're not married. They don't need to rush things to be happy."  
  
"This is coming from you?" Grace eyed him. "There must have been some kind of turn in the universe. This can't be Eli. So, where'd you hide him? Take him back to your planet or is he locked up in the garage?"  
  
"Ha, ha," Eli let out a cocky laugh.  
  
"Seriously," Grace continued. "I really want to know. Becuase, you, my friend, will not pass for Eli. Especially if you keep using lines like that one. Everyone is going to find out your little secret. And it won't be pretty when they do."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "Push his buttons until he talks."~*  
  
"Okay, okay," Eli laughed and started to play along. He got up and walked over to the counter she was leaning against. "He's in the basement at his mother's. I thought that was a good place, no one ever goes down there."  
  
Grace laughed and hit his arm. "You need help."  
  
Jessie walked back into the kitchen with the phone to her ear. "I know. It's so great, Heather. Remember I told you about the whole divorce thing, with the whole Lilly thing, and then the me thing. Well, this wedding I'm happy... She's happy!"  
  
"Heather?" Eli and Grace whispered to each other.  
  
Jessie continued her conversation, ignoring the two. "I know... you're right... But the thing is I really don't think my mom has been happy for a while..." She let out a giggle. "I guess you're right, one thing good did come out of the car accident."  
  
"What about Katie?" Eli asked. "She usually calls her with news."  
  
"I don't know," Grace shook her head.  
  
Jessie realized the two staring at them. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," they turned away. 


	7. Chapter 7

PART 7  
  
"It's cute," Grace answered her mother as she heald up a skirt for Holly.  
  
She watched her mother struggle to find the perfect cloths for the babies before Karen and Henry came over. Lilly was out of control trying to make everything perfect. She had asked Grace to help with the twins, but she wouldn't let her touch anything. So, she just sat on the rocking chair and watched her mother.  
  
After a minute of two she got bored and left the room. She ran down the stairs and tried to get as far away from her mother as possible. So when she walked into the kitchen she was expecting Rick to be cooking. Which was exactly what was happening. Jessie was right beside him, making sure nothing went wrong.  
  
Grace shook her head and sat down at the table. "It's just a dinner. Why is everybody going crazy?"  
  
Jessie turned to look at her. "Because, if anything goes wrong mom might not want me to move in with Heather and Katie. So, this has to be perfect." She looked Grace over. "You're not wearing that, are you?"  
  
"Why?" Grace asked and looked down at her cloths. She had jeans on with a long sleeve purple shirt. "What's wrong with this?"  
  
"Nothing," Jessie said and turned away.  
  
Grace stood up. "I'm going to change."  
  
Jessie won. Grace ran up to her room and grabbed a new outfit. A black skirt with a blue blouse. She gave her hair a quick brush. She looked at herself in her mirror and smiled. Then she walked out of her room and started down stairs. Eli was letting his mother and Henry in when he looked over and saw her coming down.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli stares up at the camera. "Whoa."~*  
  
Karen looked over at Eli and smiled. She only guessed before but now she knew for a fact. Something was definatly going on between the two of them. Eli couldn't even take his eyes off her. Grace smiled at him when she reached the bottom and then she looked over at Karen and Henry.  
  
"Hi," she smiled. "I'll go get Jessie for you." She gave Eli another quick look and then walked into the kitchen. "Jess, your your mom's here."  
  
Jessie ran out of the kitchen. She turned back quickly. "Better choice of clothing."  
  
Not to long after Katie and Heather showed up. Then they all sat down for dinner together. Katie sat next to Jessie and Heather on the other side of her. It started out with questions about Heather. Mostly where she grew up, her family, why does she want to wrip Jessie out of her own home. Last one wasn't the exact words, but it was conversation.  
  
Lilly smiled over at Grace. "Grace," she decided to save Heather from everybody, "how's school going for you?"  
  
Grace froze and shot Eli a quick glance. "It's going great. Yeah, my classes are great and I love all of my teachers."  
  
"That's great," Rick smiled. "Are you passing every class?"  
  
"Yeah, of course," Grace lied.  
  
Eli jumped in. "There's nothing you're failing?" he said, wishing she would confess to the failed paper.  
  
"So, E, how's school going for you?" she fought back.  
  
He sat back. "A little defensive."  
  
"What's going on?" Lilly asked.  
  
"Nothing," Grace said, not taking her eyes off of Eli. "Can I talk to you in the kitchen?" She pushed the chair back in anger and walked into the kitchen. Eli got up and followed her. She was already pacing back and forth when he walked in. "What the hell was that?"  
  
"Just thought that lying wasn't exactly the best idea," Eli stated.  
  
"It was just one paper," Grace said. "You said I can pull it up, and that's what I'm going to do, without them knowing about it."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace stares at the camera. "He's can be such a jerk."~*  
  
Zoe walked into the kitchen and looked at them. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"Yes," they answered in unison.  
  
"Okay," Zoe said slowly. "I'll be going back now." With that she left.  
  
Grace crossed her arms. "How is it you can go from this really sweet guy into someone who is out to destroy my whole life?"  
  
"I doubt my telling them you failed a paper is going to destroy your life," Eli said. "I doubt failing the paper destroyed your life. You're smart, I think that pulling up that grade won't be a problem." Grace let out a aggrivated sigh. "I know that, they know that. It's not the end of the world. I'm not exactly sure, but college must be tough. It's a big difference going from high school to college."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"He's right," Grace says. "It's a huge difference."~*  
  
"You have no idea," Grace agreed. She leaned against the counter. "Just keep it a secret. I don't want anybody to know."  
  
Eli smiled. "Sorry."  
  
"Forgiven," Grace said and let a smile escape her lips.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli is looking down. "I know, stupid move. But, it's over now."~*  
  
Grace was about to leave when she turned back. "How do you think of me?"  
  
"What?" Eli asked.  
  
"Well, friend or stepsister or something else?" Grace explained. "How do you think of me?"  
  
"Tough question," Eli let out a nervous laugh. "Do you want me to answer now?" She crossed her arms and shrugged. "Okay, um, this is really hard. Why do you want to know?"  
  
Grace smiled. "Just something I've been wondering."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is smiling. "When I was coming down stairs and he saw me. His face just made me think about something. How does he feel about me?"~*  
  
"Oh," Eli said.  
  
She smiled, took a step closer to him, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Just, think about it."  
  
When she went to turn away Eli grabbed her arm and pulled her back around. Seconds later he found himself kissing her. It was soft, as if he was expecting. Grace, of course, accepted his kiss. She felt his hand on her cheek and this made her move in closer and place her own hands on his waist.  
  
Jessie walked into the kitchen and froze. "Oh my God."  
  
Eli and Grace quickly pulled apart at the sound of her voice. They looked over at a shocked Jessie by the doorway. She looked almost pale and her eyes were wide. She was supposed to come in to see if everything was okay, and instead saw something she never wanted to see.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is pacing back and forth. "Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God."~*  
  
"Hey, Jess," Grace managed to spit out.  
  
Jessie backed up. "Please tell me whatever I just saw was my imagination. Because that was something I never wanted to see." She froze. "Oh God, Eli. She's your stepsister. You guys are practically related."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli sighs. "It had to be Jessie."~*  
  
"Jess, calm down," Eli said.  
  
"Calm down!" Jessie snapped. "I just walked in on my brother and stepsister making out and you want me to calm down. Not only that, why tonight? No, no, no, scratch that. Why at all? Oh God. This is not how I wanted tonight to turn out. Not at all." She froze. "Please tell me this was a once in a lifetime event."  
  
Grace looked over at Eli. "Yeah."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is smiling. "Actually, I hope not."~*  
  
"Fine, then, I'm going to forget all about this," Jessie said. "Now, let all of us go back and eat." She looked at them and quickly left.  
  
Later that night Grace was in her room laying on her bed. She couldn't get the thought of Eli actually kissing her out of her head. She really hoped that the kiss was't their last. She would really hate it to be. She finally looked over at the clock to realize that it was one in the morning. She sat up and sighed.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"I'm not even tired," she says.~*  
  
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Again, her thoughts came rushing back to her. A smile spread across her lips when she would think about what happened. This made her get off her bed and look out the window. The garage light was still on. Her smile grew and she decided to go for a short walk. 


	8. Chapter 8

PART 8  
  
Eli couldn't even close his eyes. Everytime he did another thought of Grace would come to him. He sat up and let out a sigh. He couldn't even think of sleep after kissing Grace. He was waiting for the sun to come up so that he could return to life. But it was only one in the morning and he had hours to go.  
  
A knock came at the door and Eli jumped to hear this. "Um, hold on." He jumped up and walked over to the door. He unlocked it and opened it all the way. Grace smiled at him. "Oh, um, Grace, hey."  
  
"Expecting somebody else?" Grace asked.  
  
Eli laughed. "Actually, I was expecting nobody at one in the morning."  
  
"I know, I couldn't sleep," Grace said. Eli moved out of the way and she walked in. "I have a lot of thoughts running through my head right now. So, um, I was hoping maybe we can talk about, you know, this kiss."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is smiling. "What am I doing in his room? This wasn't the brightest idea."~*  
  
"Um, yeah, me to," Eli said and fell down onto his bed. "Grace, I really don't want it to be weird between us. Not to mention, I'm hoping that what happened wasn't the last time." He let out a nervous sigh. "Wow, this is really hard."  
  
"Let's just say I understand," Grace smiled and knelt down in front of him. "I inderstand completely." She leaned up and kissed him, something she had been dying to do sense dinner.  
  
She felt herself melting into him as the kiss continued. She pushed herself up further from the floor so that he wasn't bending over to much. Then she placed one hand on his knee and laid the other on on his chest. She knew that this time, nobody was going to interrupt them.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli is sitting on the stool. "I know what follows this. It's the same thing with every girl I ever dated. So why do I want to say no to Grace? Not that I don't want to, you know, it's just different with her."~*  
  
"Hold on, Grace," Eli said breathlessly. She froze and stared up at him. "I just, I don't want this to feel like I'm taking advanage of you. Do you understand?"  
  
Grace nodded. "Oh, right. Okay."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace looks depressed. "I always expect to much."~*  
  
She climbed back onto her feet and sat next to him on the bed. "So, um, sorry."  
  
"For what?" Eli asked.  
  
"I shouldn't have come over," she explained. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I feel stupid. Completely stupid. Like I was just hit with an embarrasment stick or something." Eli laughed. "It's not funny." She hit him playfully on the arm.  
  
Eli laid down and stared up at her. "You okay?"  
  
"I'll be fine," Grace said. "Just give me a little bit."  
  
The next morning, Grace's eyes slowly fluttered open. She felt someone's arm on her stomach and then slowly turned over to see Eli beside her, sound asleep. A smile slowly developed on her lips at the thought of waking up next to him. She looked over at the clock beside him and leaped forward.  
  
"Oh my God," she almost yelled. "Eli! Wake up!"  
  
"What?" he asked and twisted onto his back.  
  
"It's ten o'clock," she said and crawled over Eli to get off the bed. "Oh God, I'm dead. Mom has probably been in my room, she thinks I'm missing. What am I going to say? I went to make out with Eli and we just fell asleep. Yeah, she'll believe that. She'll think more of the subject. She's going to think something IS going on between us. Like, we slept together and-"  
  
"Calm down," Eli sat up.  
  
"Calm down? Calm down?" Grace cried. "She probably called dad. Jessie saw us kissing last night, she probably knows I'm in here. Oh she's diabolical."  
  
"Grace!" Eli yelled before she could continue. "Tell them you came over here around seven and that we were talking or something. It might work."  
  
Grace fell onto the bed next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Um, so is there something going on between us?"  
  
"Do you want there to be?" Eli asked. Grace smiled up at him. "Okay, if there is, I want it to go slow-"  
  
"Whoa, Eli, that's a change of pace for you," Grace laughed.  
  
"Well, you're a change of pace for me," Eli told her.  
  
Grace looked down at her hands. "So, this is going to be a secret?"  
  
"It has to be for a while," Eli told her. "Soon, we'll tell them."  
  
She smiled and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "I should get back in. Come with me." She grabbed his hand and pulled him off of the bed. 


	9. Chapter 9

PART 9  
  
Lilly paced back and forth in the kitchen. Around nine o'clock she had woken up to find one of her daughters missing. Jessie was sitting at the kitchen table with a magazine in her hands as if nothing was happening. Rick was over by the phone calling a few friends of Grace's, wondering if she was there.  
  
Suddenly the back door opened and Grace and Eli walked in. "Oh, morning," she flashed a smile.  
  
"Where were you?" Lilly asked and hugged her daugher.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "Stick to the plan."~*  
  
"Well, I woke up early and when i saw no one was up I went to the garage," Grace informed them. "I lost track of time. Me and Eli were playing cards and I won ten bucks." She held out her hand toward Eli. "Speaking of which."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace laughs. "Easy money."~*  
  
Eli smirked and took a ten from his pocket. "I'll just win it back later."  
  
"At least you're okay," Rick said. Jessie leaped from her chair and ran out of the room. "Jess? What's wrong?" Eli and Grace exchanged a quick glance. Rick turned back into the kitchen. "That was strange."  
  
"Yeah, well, you know us girls," Grace jumped in. "We're all strange. So, right now, I'm going to get dressed." She looked at everyone in the room. "Okay." With that Grace left.  
  
"What is going on?" Lilly asked Eli. He shrugged. "This is turning out to be one strange morning."  
  
Later that day, Lilly and Judy were at Judy's book store talking. The place wasn't that busy today so Judy seemed to have tons of time. Eli was stacking a few books over in the far corner. When Lilly walked in she was almost surprised to see him. Judy smiled and walked over to her.  
  
"I know," Judy said, staring at Eli. "I gave him off today and he came in to help. He said he needed time away from home to think and what better a place."  
  
"Well, I'm glad," Lilly smiled. "He's been doing good lately." She sat down at one of the tables and Judy sat opposite of her. "Something is going on with the kids though. Zoe's finally reaching that age of terror, Jessie has been happy but very secretive, Eli has been responsible, and Grace, it's hard to say."  
  
"Why is Eli being responsible strange?" Judy asked.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Lilly is sitting on the stool. "He wants something. Something big."~*  
  
Lilly sighed. "I don't know. It just is."  
  
Eli walked over to the table. "Those books are done. Anything else?" He noticed Lilly and smiled. "Hey, Lilly."  
  
"Not that I can think of," Judy smiled. "You can go home if you want. But thanks for coming in. I'll make sure it gets put in your check."  
  
"Thanks," Eli said. "I guess I'll go then." He walked away from the table and into the back.  
  
Judy smiled over at Lilly. "Yeah, that's really strange."  
  
The day went quickly and Lilly had just arrived home from being with her sister. Katie and Jessie were in the living room watching television and other then that, no one was in sight. She walked upstairs to check on the twins when she looked in and saw Grace and Eli with them. She walked in with a smile.  
  
"Hey, guys," she said. Eli and Grace stopped and looked over at her. "What are you guys up to?"  
  
Grace shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace has her face in her hands. "I hope she didn't hear us. We were talking about the whole last night thing. If she heard, we're dead."~*  
  
Lilly smiled and took Holly out of her crib. "Hey, honey."  
  
"So, how's Aunt Judy?" Grace asked and leaned against Brian's crib. "I haven't talked to her sense the break up."  
  
"Well, she's on the rebound with a man named Danny," Lilly explained. "Apparently he bought one of her favorite books and then a date came and went and then all this other stuff. It's horrible. She claims to really love him. But, I don't know. They're just going to break up and she's going to come to me for help."  
  
"It was a pretty horrific break up," Eli said and then Grace kicked him.  
  
"You saw it?" Lilly asked with total shock. "You saw the break up?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace groans. "Big mouth Eli."~*  
  
"Just a tad," Grace answered. "It's really nothing to talk about."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli shakes his head. "Other then the cheating thing. Turns out, Judy met Danny boy before the break up even was thought about."~*  
  
Grace shifted onto her right leg. "But, um, I should go. I have this huge paper that's do and I have to get started." She started out of the room froze and grabbed Eli. When they got into the hall she stopped. "Can't have you blabbing anything else."  
  
Lilly looked back at Holly and Brian. "You're brother and sister are crazy." 


	10. Chapter 10

PART 10   
  
Jessie walked out of school and looked around. The whole day had gone slowly. She just wanted to get home and let the day end. She looked over to see a familiar face standing by a car. She hopped down the steps and over to the girl.  
  
"Heather, what are you doing here?" Jessie asked.  
  
Heather pushed herself off her car and smiled. "I just finished my last class and Katie told me this was your school. I thought I could drive you home. That's okay, right?" Jessie nodded. "Great! Hop in."  
  
They both jumped into her car and started out of the parking lot. Jessie stared over at Heather. She had her long brown hair down. It had blond streeks running through it. She had a pair of tight jeans on and a black tank top that had spagetti strps. Jessie felt butterfly in her stomach. This made her quickly turn away.  
  
"So, um, why are you so comfortable around me?" Jessie asked. The question had been bothering her for awhile. "Anyone who knows I'm gay gets really strange around me. They think I have some kind of disease."  
  
Heather looked over at her. "Well, let's just say I see the world from the same side of the line like you do."  
  
"You're gay to?" Jessie asked, a bit surprised.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie stares up at the camera with wide eyes. "I had no idea."~*  
  
"The person who helped me realize that I was gay broke my heart," Heather explained. "I convinced myself I was straight though. I even told Katie I was straight. But, then I met you. I really can't convince myself anymore." Jessie froze at her words. "I know you and Katie are together and that I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."  
  
Jessie smiled. "No, it's okay. It's great to be needed sometimes." They got to Jessie's house and Heather turned the car off. Jessie smiled. "You want to come in for something to drink?"  
  
"Sure," Heather smiled.  
  
They walked into the house and Jessie went straight to the fridge. She pulled out two sodas and handed one to Heather. Heather smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. She opened the soda and took a sip. Jessie smiled and jumped onto the counter. She still had her thoughts on what Heather said to her in the car.  
  
"So, how's the appartment coming along?" Jessie asked.  
  
"Great," Heather answered. "Mr. Linon says it's almost through and Katie and me can move in about two weeks from now. Then in two years you can move in."  
  
"I can't wait," Jessie smiled. "When I get out of this house it would be like freedom. Lately I feel stuck." She sighed. "Can I tell you something? I would talk to Katie but, I want to talk to you. I mean, you're here."  
  
Heather leaned against the counter. "Sure, I mean, go ahead."  
  
"Well, um, well, remember me telling you about Eli and Grace?" Jessie explained and took a sip of soda. "Well, I was always jealous of Grace. Eli gave her a lot of attention before and after the wedding. I never had a reason to be jealous. He's my brother though and I was always okay when he had girlfriends. It's different with Grace. And well, I think they're sleeping together now."  
  
Heather looked over at her. "Why do you think this?"  
  
"Well, it was like two in the morning," Jessie explained. "It was Sunday. Well, I walked down from my room in the attic and saw Grace's light on. When I went in to turn it off she wasn't there. She wasn't even in the house. The next morning she and Eli came into the house together. Grace said that she woke up early and they were playing cards or whatever in the garage. I know better."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie smiles. "I feel so comfortable with her. It's really weird."~*  
  
"Think of it this way," Heather began, "love comes in all shapes and sizes. You and Katie, you're stepmom and your dad, and Eli and Grace. As you can see, girl and girl, girl and boy, stepbrother and stepsister. Things are weird but trust me, with love it doesn't matter."  
  
Jessie let out a chocked laugh. "You're smart."  
  
"Thanks," Heather said. "So, I think that you should just let the Eli and Grace thing go. It's a smart idea."  
  
Mean while, Grace was in her English class. Her friend, Kelly, sat next to her and took out a notebook. She took one of Grace's pens and wrote the date. Grace just stared at the front of the class and waited for it to begin. When the teacher started Kelly began to whisper.  
  
"So, what did your parents do about the paper?" Kelly asked.  
  
"Nothing, I didn't show it to them," Grace told her and wrote down a few notes. "I'm not that stupid."  
  
"Well, something happened to you," Kelly said and looked her over. "Oh, you had sex."  
  
"No," Grace jumped.  
  
Kelly looked her over. "No, you're right, that's not it. Hold on, I'll get this. Hair down with a light brush to it, hardly any make up, cheeks red. Oh, big one, you're wearing a sweater. I got it. You tried to sleep with your stepbrother and he pushed you away." Grace froze and looked at her. "Oh yeah, I'm good."  
  
Grace leaned back in her chair. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you. Eli and I kissed and after that I went to his room. He pushed me away saying he didn't want it to seem like he was taking advanage of me. I just feel like he doesn't want it to happen."  
  
"Well, it might have seemed like that because you're a virgin and he's slept with a lot of girls," Kelly said.  
  
"Not helping," Grace snapped.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is on the stool. "Kelly knows me. I met her in English the first day and sense then I can't keep a secret. She can tell from anything I'm wearing or how I look what's going on."~*  
  
"Listen, whatever Eli tells me I believe," Grace told her. "He gives something to me that nobody else can."  
  
"Yeah, an orgasim," Kelly smiled.  
  
"Kelly!" Grace jumped.  
  
"What?" Kelly laughed. "Listen, you and Eli have been on and off. I know I only met you a little bit ago, but I know. Do you think something will happen? Are you in love with him?"  
  
Grace looked down and then started to write what the teacher was saying. "We should pay attention."  
  
After class Grace ran out. Kelly wasn't to far behind her. Grace didn't want to hear whatever Kelly had to say. Truth was, Grace did love Eli, she just wasn't sure he loved her. She climbed into her car and then drove away. Kelly was no longer in sight. So, Grace started her drive home.  
  
Jessie and Heather were still in the kitchen talking when Grace got home. She walked in the front door, slamming it behind her. Heather and Jessie ran from the kitchen to see who it was and watched and Grace ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. Jessie leaned against the doorway and looked at Heather.  
  
"That was Grace?" Heather asked still staring up the stairs. "I talk to her in Math sometimes. She told me her life was complicated. I guess now I know it's true." She looked over at Jessie. "Should we go up and talk to her?"  
  
"No, Grace doesn't talk to me," Jessie said. "If I ever do, I don't understand. She's Eli's job."  
  
That night Grace couldn't even sleep. Kelly's words were floating around in her head. What if Eli really didn't feel the same? What if she was just another girl to him? She let out a sigh and sat up. It was to soon to ask him if he loved her. If she asked him she thought he would freak out.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "I don't know how Eli feels. I thought that he might love me. But, he pushed me away. What if he doesn't love me?"~*  
  
It was around twelve midnight. She got up and changed into her pajamas. Her princess pants and a shirt with no sleeves. She started down stairs right after she was fiished. The walked into the kitchen where Eli was sitting. She froze, not really wanting to see him. Before she could turn away, Eli saw her and he also froze.  
  
"Hi," he said, not even moving an inch.  
  
Grace tucked some hair behind her ear. "Hey." She walked over to the island and looked over at him. "So."  
  
"So," Eli repeated. Silence filled the room. "Um, do you want something to drink?"  
  
"No, I'm okay," Grace answered. "I don't really know why I came down here. I just couldn't sleep." Eli walked arond the island and stood next to her. "What about you? Couldn't sleep?"  
  
"Well, pretty much," he laughed. "After I got up enough courage I was going to go upstairs and talk to you. I feel as if you've been avoiding me sense Saturday night. Well, not as much as you were today. Today if I walked into the room you made up excuses to leave. At dinner, you had to do this whole speech set up of why you had to eat in your room. Not to mention-"  
  
"Okay," Grace stopped him. "Kelly said something today that has me going crazy. So I guess I've been trying to avoid any time I may be able to have with you." She turned around and then jumped on the counter. "I'm just a little freaked out. If this continues I'll be lying to my family and a lot of other people."  
  
"I know," Eli said. He turned so that he was standing in front of her. "But if it doesn't I'll hate myself for the rest of my life for not giving this a try." Grace smiled, grabbed his shirt and pulled him in between her legs. "Well, I must have said something good."  
  
Grace laughed. She rested her head on his chest and took both of his hands into her's. She began to play with his fingers. "I just, I want this to lst longer then I think you do. And I know this just started and this is a huge conversation for beginners, but I think I like you more then you may like me." She lined each finger on their hands together. "And if that's the way it's going to be I want you to break my heart right now and save me pain later on."  
  
Eli kissed the top of her head. "You're not getting away from me that easy."  
  
"Damn," Grace laughed. She looked up at him. "So, you want this to go somewhere? I mean, not just to your bedroom or anything, but you want this to go somewhere."  
  
"You make it sound like I'm only using you to get you into bed," Eli said. Grace smiled and looked down. "It's understandable because of my previous relationships, but that's not what I'm trying to do."  
  
"Good to here," she smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips. "So, um, what about Jessie? She's pretty freaked out about all of this. It's going to be hard to hide it from somebody who knows about it. Unless, we let her in on it."  
  
"Okay, but I don't think I want to make out with my sister," Eli smiled and then put his forhead against her's. "Oh wait, I forgot, I am."  
  
Grace laughed. "Only by marriage." She sighed. "Okay, I'm getting to bed. Maybe now I can sleep." Eli backed off and Grace jumped down. She kissed him softly. "Night." 


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11   
  
Jessie placed the books on the shelf and took a look around the appartment. It looked pretty great. They had started unpacking the week before and it already looked like they lived there for years. Katie and Heather had everything perfect. Soon, Jessie would be able to add her own personal touch to the place. She couldn't wait to get to college.  
  
"So, what about this?" Heather walked out of her bedroom and showed them a picture of a beach. It was beautifully painted onto the canvas. "I had this in my room at home. It gives the room a relaxing atmosphere. Not to mention my aroma therapy. I like my areas to be relaxing." She took in a calm breath. "Oh! Chips!" She ran over to the table and took a few. Jessie and Katie laughed.  
  
"I've never even tried aroma therapy," Jessie said as she sat next to Heather on the couch.  
  
Heather looked stunned. "Never?" she asked. She grabbed her purse and pulled out a small vial full of liquid. "Ever sense I was a little girl I needed something to calm me. With my hippie parents and Rainbow always leaving home to do peace things and always having to take care of Sunny, I needed it. Now I need it to get through the stress of college." She opened the vial and put it under Jessie's nose. "Take a deep breath through your nose."  
  
Jessie did as told. "Oh my God," Jessie smiled. "Wow." Heather smiled. "It smells amazing. And you're so right, it's relaxing. Katie, have you tried this?"  
  
"Yeah," Katie smiled. She picked the picture up and placed it on the wall by the book shelf. "It's pretty cool."  
  
Heather smiled at Jessie. "Take this one. It's called Purple Haze."  
  
"Thanks," Jessie said as she looked at it. "I'll be using all this up when I come out of the already opened closet." Heather laughed. "But, wait, then they'll think I'm a homo on drugs. That won't be to great."  
  
Katie sat on the back of the couch and examined the painting. "It looks great right there."  
  
Jessie and Heather looked over the couch toward the painting. "Yeah," they said in unison.  
  
Jessie looked at her watch and jumped off. "I got to get home. Dad and Lilly think that if I spend to much time here I'll be intruding."  
  
"On what?" Katie and Heather laughed.  
  
"My reaction exactly!" Jessie said as she grabbed her coat. "They probably think you guys have boyfriends or something." Katie laughed. "Anyway, I'll call you later, Katie. Heather, thanks for the aroma therapy. See you two tomorrow."  
  
Jessie grabbed her coat and walked out the door. She climbed onto the elevator and pressed the button for ground level. When the elevator opened she started toward the doors. She smiled at the manager.  
  
"See ya, Paul," she smiled.  
  
"Tomorrow, Miss Jessie?" Paul asked.  
  
"Tomorrow!" Jessie yelled back and left the building.  
  
She arrived home not to long later. Rick was home with the babies and Zoe. Jessie walked into the living room where the four of them were watching rugrats. She smiled as she realized how interested how interested her father was in the children's show. She walked up into her room in the attic and turned on her music.  
  
The days were always long. She hated it. Soon she was going to call Katie. But she didn't feel up to that at the moment. She started at the ceiling and then closed her eyes. She was tired of unpacking and arranging things. She was always happy to relax. She pulled her purse up to her and pulled out the aroma therapy out. She took a big breath of it and smiled. She was already in love with it.  
  
She put it in her bed side dresser and then lay back on her bed. Heather was right. The smell just traveled through you making you relax as it did it's magic. She didn't say all of that, but Jessie felt it. She closed her eyes and blocked out the world. It seemed like magic. It wasn't drugs, it wasn't God, it wasn't alchole, it was just a vial of aroma therapy and the loud music that blocked the world from her. It was truly amazing.  
  
"Jess?" her father asked as he walked into her room. She sat up and looked toward the stairs as he reached the top. "Heather's on the phone."  
  
Jessie reached for the phone on the side of her bed. "Hello?" she asked and waved her dad away.  
  
"Hey, Jess," Heather's voice came through the reciever. "Katie just went to a party and I'm home all alone and decided to call you."  
  
"I never thought about Katie as a party girl," Jessie laughed.  
  
"I know, me neither," Heather told her. "But, she met these guys who like to and apparently it's a lot of fun. I myself am not that kind of girl. I like to just sit in the quiet... Okay, not really, I can't back that up. But, I do like to listen to music and burn a aroma therapy candle."  
  
"They have candles to?"  
  
"Yeah," she answered. "They're great. You and I should go shopping together. There's this store on the north side of town full of aroma therapy. Candles, vials, cented flowers that can be burned to make your whole house or room smell like a meadow. What do you say?"  
  
"Pick me up at school," Jessie smiled.  
  
"Great!" Heather smiled.  
  
The next day passed quickly. Jessie walked out of school to see Heather smiling over at her. Jessie smiled back and walked over to her. Heather hopped over the door and into the drivers seat and Jessie did the same by jumping into the passengers seat. Heather took off toward the north side of town. Jessie couldn't wait to see the store.  
  
They arrived at the shop about a half an hour later. Heather walked in with Jessie at toe. They both started to look around. It smelled amazing. It truly had a relaxing atmosphere. Heather walked up to the counter with a smile.  
  
"Hey, Johnny, where's Ralf?" she asked the girl behind the counter.  
  
"Ralf!" Johnny called into the back. She turned back to Heather. "So, who's your friend?"  
  
Heather looked back at Jessie. "That's Jess," she answered.  
  
A cute boy walked out of the back and smiled at Heather. "Hey, Heather."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie stares at the camera. "Oh my God. What was that? I haven't felt that sense Katie's letter."~*  
  
"Ralf, hey," Heather smiled. She turned to Jessie. "Come here." Jessie walked up to her side. "Ralf this is my friend Jessie. Jessie, this is my brother, Ralf."  
  
"Brother?" Jessie asked. "How many sibblings do you have?"  
  
"Six," Ralf and Heather answered in unison.  
  
"Wow," Jessie laughed.  
  
Johnny walked from behind the counter. "I'm getting lunch. I need to get out of this store. Ralf, take over. Heather, I need a ride. Do you mind?"  
  
Heather looked at Jessie. "Is that okay? You can stay here with Ralf. Don't worry, he doesn't bite-" she stopped herself and laughed. "Unless you bite him."  
  
"I was six, let it go!" Ralf laughed.  
  
"Is it okay?" Heather asked Jessie.  
  
Jessie nodded. "Sure, go ahead."  
  
Heather started toward the door after Johnny. "I'll be back!"  
  
Ralf sighed when the door closed and looked at Jessie. "So, you in college with Heather?"  
  
"No, um," Jessie stutters, "my... my... friend, she's her roommate. That's how we know each other."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie shakes her head. "My friend? What am I doing? I'm gay, not straight. What is going on?"~*  
  
Ralf smiled. "You don't seem sure of that."  
  
"Sorry," Jessie laughed. "I think the aroma is getting to me."  
  
"I've gotten used to it. I've worked her sense I was fourteen. Johnny started last year. She's not exactly the best sales person. At first she was nice and sweet, then she got to know me and after that she turned into a class 'A' b****. So, what do you need? We have tons of aroma therapy. And because you're my older sister's friend, you can get some for free."  
  
"Well, I'm going to take advantage of that," Jessie smiled. "Help me out. I've never really bought any aroma things. Heather only gave me a small vial yesterday."  
  
"Oh, well, let's get started," Ralf smiled.  
  
Jessie walked back into her house and waved Heather off. She sat the bags of aroma therapy down by the bottom of the stairs and walked into the kitchen. The family was already sitting down eating. She sat down with a huge smile and the family just stared at her.  
  
"Hey, Jess," Rick said.  
  
"Hey," she smiled.  
  
Grace gave her a bowl that had mashedpotatoes in it. "How did you like the shop?"  
  
"It's was great," Jessie answered. Everyone just smiled and went back to eating. Jessie then whispered over to Grace. "I need to talk to you after dinner."  
  
Grace nodded. "Okay."  
  
After dinner Grace followed Jessie to her room. Jessie seemed confused about so much. She placed the bags on the floor next to her bed and started to put the aroma therapy into the dresser. Grace sat on the bed and stared at her as she talked.  
  
"It felt so weird," Jessie said and looked up at her. "I found out last year that I was... gay... and now I'm going back to being straight. What's going on with me, Grace? I don't get it."  
  
Grace lay down on her stmach. "Maybe you're bi," she said. "They're gay and straight."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie shakes her head. "I haven't thought about that."~*  
  
"I don't know," Jessie sighed. She smelled one of the candles. "Burn this for me." She handed it to Grace. "If I am then that means I was never denying anything. I thought I was, but I was just being true to one side of me. Now, it's starting all over again. All I was being true to was my gay side and I forgot about my straight side. And now, finally, they're together to team up on me and bring me down!"  
  
"Don't worry," Grace said and sat up, "it's okay. Nobody is ever true to themselves. But then, something comes along that makes everything step into the light." She took the matches off the side table and lit the candle then placed it on the side table. "And today, I think you just stepped into that light."  
  
Jessie stared at the counter. "I should call Katie shouldn't I."  
  
"Yeah," Grace told her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12   
  
Grace took out a carton of ice cream and continued to dance around the kitchen. She had her headphones on her head and the CD player attached to her hip. Kelly had made a CD of all of her favorite songs and given it to her. It was the first time she was listening to it. It sounded pretty great to. It definatly got an "A" from her.  
  
"Oh, you're kisses, are sweeter then honey," she sang along with Aretha Franklin. "And guess what? So is money. All I want you to do for me, is give it to me, when I get home! Yeah baby, whip it to me, when you get home." She took out a spoon and continued with the song. Eli walked in from the living room and froze when he saw her. "R-E-S-P-E-C-T find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, take out the E-C-P. Oh, sock it to me, sock it to me-" she saw Eli and froze. She took the earphones off and smiled. "Hi."  
  
"Oh, don't let me stop you, you were doing really good," Eli laughed.  
  
"Shut up," Grace said and opened the ice cream. "For your information, your girlfriend was enjoying herself." She smiled and took some ice cream. She slipped her earphones back on and started to dance again.  
  
Eli pushed himself off the doorway and started toward her. He wrapped his arms around her and lay his head on her shoulder. She smiled and looked back at him. She took the earphones off again and turned around so they were facing each other.  
  
"You teased me," she said with a fake pout.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry," he said and lightly kissed her.  
  
"Are you?" Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.  
  
"Gracie?" Lilly's voice yelled from the living room. Grace and Eli pulled apart quickly and then looked toward the kitchen doorway. Lilly walked in with a smile. "Gracie, have you seen Holly's bibbie? I can't find it anywhere."  
  
"Um, no, sorry," Grace answered. "Maybe it's in the car?"  
  
"Not there," Lilly sighed. Then a loud cry came from upstairs. "Grace, you know what to do."  
  
"I'll do my magic," Grace smiled and ran upstairs. She picked Holly up out of her crib and then placed her thumb in her mouth. "Hi, angel. Mommy is tired so why don't we give her a little brake." She sat in the rocking chair and rocked her back and forth. "Not to mention Brian is trying to get some sleep. Zoe will be home and she'll want to sleep. How can anybody sleep if you're crying?" Holly closed her eyes to the sound of her older sister's calm voice.  
  
Lilly walked in and smiled at the sight. "Hey, how do you do that?"  
  
"It's a gift," Grace smiled.  
  
"You'll make a great mother someday," Lilly smiled and walked over to her. Grace smiled down at Holly. "I can't wait to be a grandmother. I know I'm a mother and all, but something about being a grandmother just makes me feel so happy inside. Soon, you'll have kids, then Jessie, not to mention Zoe, and Eli. Then, these two. I have a way to go with kids."  
  
"Yeah you do," Grace laughed.  
  
Jessie walked into the room with Holly's bibbie in her hand. "How did this get in my room?" she laughed.  
  
Lilly smiled. "Oh, thank God you found it."  
  
"Your welcome," Jessie said and handed it to Grace.  
  
Lilly checked her watch. "I have a dinner thing. Judy wants me to meet her new boyfriend. You guys going to be okay here alone." Grace and Jessie stared at her blankly. "Why do I even bother to asked anymore?" She walked out of the room in a hurry.  
  
Jessie turned to her. "I have plans to. Heather, Katie, Ralf and a few friends of Katie's are taking me to a karioke bar. It's going to be so much fun. You want to come? It's better then being stuck here with E... nevermind. Have fun."  
  
Grace smiled. "You to."  
  
Jessie sighed. "Thanks for all your advice to. Katie said that it was okay as long as I didn't cheat on her. Which, may I say, I will never do. She says that it's possible I am bi. After all I used to date boys and actually like it."  
  
"Does Ralf know?" Grace asked.  
  
"Not really, unless Heather told him," Jessie told her.  
  
Eli walked into the room. "Hey, Jess, Heather's here."  
  
"Oh," Jessie said. "See you guys later." With that, she ran out of the room.  
  
Eli watched her then looked back at Grace. "Where is she going?"  
  
"Out with friends," Grace told him then placed Holly back into the crib. "She seems really excited about it. They're all in college, except for Ralf, but apparently, in high school, hanging out with college kids is so huge!" Grace laughed then remembered she was the same way when she was in high school. The way Eli was looking at her she could tell he knew that, making her laugh turn into a more nervous one. "Yeah... okay."  
  
Eli laughed. "Where were they going?"  
  
"Karioke," Grace told him. "Last time I went to one of them I ended up singing 'I'll be there for you'. You know? The 'Friends' theme song. We were all drunk so everyone thought it was great-" She froze when she saw him staring at her. "I never got drunk. Who told you that? They don't serve alcohole at karioke bars. Just soda and other refreshments... with no alcohole! Nobody mentioned anything about getting drunk..."  
  
"Finished yet?" Eli asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm good," Grace let out a breath. "No alcohole!" She smiled. "Sorry."  
  
Eli sat down in the rocking chair. "So, just me and you tonight?"  
  
"No, sorry," Grace said and sat on his lap. "Zoe's going to be home in less then five minutes. Not to mention Holly and Brian. Being alone is way to difficult in this house. So forget all about it." She kissed him softly and quickly pulled away. "But we still have a couple minutes." She kissed him again.  
  
"Oh, come on," Zoe's voice came from the doorway. "I really don't want to see that. And in front of the babies. Come on people. Have a little sense of pride. Or at least humanity."  
  
"Hey, Zo, have a good time at dad's?" Grace smiled and stood up.  
  
"Yeah, real fun," Zoe said. "Dad wants to know when you're coming over next. You haven't seen him in like three weeks. I know you're not that busy."  
  
"You've never been to college," Grace sighed. "Come to think about it, you haven't even thought about it. I'll just call and say hi later. Now, can we all get out of this room so the little ones can sleep. We don't want them to wake up and start crying, do we?"  
  
"Downstairs," Eli and Zoe said in unison. 


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13   
  
Jessie arrived at the club with Ralf and Heather not to long later. Katie was already with her friends in a corner table. Before they walked over they took a look around. The place was pretty much packed. Heather grabbed Jessie's arm and leaned toward her ear.  
  
"Katie's friends are different then we are," she told her and then pulled away.  
  
Jessie watched as she and Ralf walked toward the table. She just shrugged and started over as well. Katie smiled and stood up to greet them. But, she was drunk, it was easy to tell.  
  
"Hey, guys," she walked over to the three of them. "Welcome to the Orange Karioke Club. These are my friends. That's Marco, Jenny, Kyle, and Andrew. So, everybody, sit down, get a drink and have fun. Oh, yeah, guys, this is Heather, Jessie and... sorry, I have no idea who he is."  
  
"My brother, Ralf, you met him a month ago," Heather said.  
  
"Sorry, must have been out of it," Katie laughed and sat back down. "Okay, pull up a chair."  
  
"Kate, sing with me one stage," Marco laughed. "We can sing one of those... duets? It'll be fun." Everyone but Heather, Ralf and Jessie laughed. "Unless you don't want your boyfriend to see it and get jealous."  
  
Jessie looked up from the table to see Marco joking around with Katie. She laughed and stood up, grabbing his hand.  
  
"I don't have a boyfriend," she said to him. "I'm not in a relationship." She drug him to the front as quickly as she could.  
  
Heather and Jessie exchanged glances. It was the first time Jessie ever heard Katie deny her for no reason. She though all of Katie's friends knew about her and Jessie's relationship. But she was wrong.  
  
Jessie leaped from the table and started toward the door. Katie saw this from stage and told her friend to wait a minute. She followed her to the door and grabbed her arm before she could walk out.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked Jessie.  
  
"Home, you don't want me here so why should I stay?" Jessie said and crossed her arms.  
  
"You're just upset that I didn't tell my friends about us," Katie said. "Well, I just wanted to keep this a secret until they got to know me better."  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about telling my parents. But you're to drunk and ashamed of me to even think about telling them. You know what? I don't have to tell them. I just found out I'm bi."  
  
"One guy turned you on!" Katie snapped.  
  
"And many more will after that," she told her. "I'll just forget about my gay half. All I have to do is concentrate on guys and forget this relationship ever happened! It sounds good to me." She began to walk away again.  
  
Katie grabbed her arm. "What do you want me to be? The perfect girlfriend?"  
  
"No," Jessie twisted her arm from her hand. "I want you to be the dead-beat x-girlfriend." With that she walked out of the club.  
  
She stopped when she got outside the door and covered her face with her hands. The night air was blowing hard against her. She left her coat in the club and didn't want to go back in. To her luck, Katie would be there to start up again.  
  
"Jess?" a boy said as he stepped out of the club. Jessie looked up to see Ralf holding her coat in his hand. "Here. You might need this."  
  
"Thanks," Jessie smiled and put it on.  
  
Ralf leaned against the wall next to her. "Huge fight?"  
  
"Yeah," Jessie told him as she stared at her feet. "It's over. I know it is. She's just not who I thought she was." She froze and looked up at him. "Not at all."  
  
"Well, sometimes it happens," Ralf told her.  
  
Jessie let out a chocked laugh. "Yeah, it happens."  
  
"So, you going back in or you want me to take you home?" Ralf asked. "Heather's going to stay to take Katie home. So, want a ride?"  
  
Jessie pushed herself off the wall. "Sure."  
  
They started to walk toward the car a street away. Katie stepped out of the club and froze at the sight. She took a step back and looked at her feet. Jessie told her about Ralf. This made her jealous that Jessie was getting into his car.  
  
"So, you might need to give me derections," Ralf told her as he started the car. "I'm not really sure of where it is."  
  
"I'll tell you," Jessie said.  
  
They got to her house where the lights were still on. She let out a sigh and turned toward him. He looked at the house as if seeing it for the first time. She smiled.  
  
"Thanks for driving me home," she said. "I should be getting in." She climbed out of the car and dunked her head back in. "So, um, I'll see you tomorrow. I might come to the shop again."  
  
"Come early," Ralf told her.  
  
"I will," Jessie smiled. She pulled away and shut the door. 


	14. Chapter 14

PART 14   
  
Grace looked out the window and watched as Zoe, Sunny and Alex played. They were running all over the place, catching each other, all of them laughing. She smiled at the sight. She turned around to see her baby brother in play pen by the television. Soon he and Holly would have a whole different life. One containing friends, relationships, and troubles. She never wished that upon anyone.  
  
Brian turned his head toward her and gave her one of those adorable smiles. All Grace could do was laugh. He had Eli's smile. It was a gift and a soon to be curse on the girls. That smile could get him anywhere. It did for his brother. Grace climbed off the window cill and picked Brian up from his play pen.  
  
"Jess?" Grace said as she walked into the kitchen. Jessie turned around, holding Holly in her arms. "When are they supposed to start walking? And talking? Because I think Brian here is going to be a little heart breaker. We should really sow his mouth shut now."  
  
Jessie laughed and gave Brian a tickle on his stomach and he laughed. "Ah, I think you're right. That smile could kill a girl's heart." She looked at Holly. "This one, she's going to be a cheerleader. Boys will just die if she says no to them when they ask her out. Won't they?" She started to tickle her little sister. "Yes they will."  
  
Grace placed Brian on the counter, still holding him up. "So, what happened with Katie?"  
  
"I haven't talked to her in a week," Jessie said. "Everytime I call Heather just tells me she's out. I know Heather's protecting me, it's obvious in her voice."  
  
"What about Ralf?" Grace asked.  
  
"We've been hanging out everyday," Jessie answered. "He always knows what to say. I've only known him for a week, so that must be something important." Grace took a glass of water and took a sip. "I just wish Katie would talk to me. I really want to work it out, you know. Should I?"  
  
Grace shook her head. "Stop calling her! You're the one upset not her. She has to call you and tell you she's sorry. Not the other way around."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie nods. "Everyone says that's the thing to do."~*  
  
"I know, I know," Jessie sighed. "But I always feel as if I have to fix it."  
  
Grace put the glass up to Brian's mouth and let him take a sip. "But, that's the thing. She's going to make you suffer for a while. You're going to keep calling, keep wanting to work things out, and she's not going to answer anything. Then you're going to plead for her to talk to you. Next comes pleading for forgiveness. Then, she gets you back and you become misserable again."  
  
"That's a pretty good acusation," Jessie balanced Holly on her hip.  
  
"I have a gift," Grace said.  
  
"So I should call her anymore. I should just let it slip. I'm not supposed to want to work this relationship out."  
  
"Jessie!" Grace yelled. "Listen to me! She might not be the love of your life! Hell she just might be your high school sweetheart who graduated and left you behind. You and Katie have become two different people in a year." She lowered her voice. "You're still in high school. She's in college. Soon she will meet someone in college and you, you'll still be wondering what happened. Get a new high school sweetheart."  
  
"Yeah," Jessie said quietly. "Because it's that easy."  
  
"Who said anything about easy?" Grace said, picking Brian up. "Nothing's easy. But, it's time you moved on."  
  
Eli walked in the back door with a smile. "Hey."  
  
"Hey, E," Jessie put on a fake smile.  
  
"I have to go to Coops for a while," Eli said. "He's actually moving to New York so he needs help packing." Jessie seemed upset making him stop. "Okay, what happened?"  
  
"Nothing," Grace answered before Jessie could speak. "Just go, have fun, and be back before dinner."  
  
"Okay, now I know somethings wrong if you're trying to get rid of me," Eli said.  
  
Grace rolled her eyes, grabbed his hand a drug him out of the kitchen and to the front door. "Okay, listen. Jessie is going through a really tough time," she told him. Then she peaked to make sure Jessie wasn't listening. "Just leave me to do some repairing. Go say goodbye to Coop. Pack boxes and all that other moving stuff."  
  
"Okay, I'll go," Eli said and kissed her quickly. "See ya. Bye, Brian." The baby giggled. He walked out the door.  
  
Grace let out a breath and started back into the kitchen. "He's gone."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is sitting on the stool with her head down. "Jessie is confused. I know she is. And she's been trusting me to help her out through everything. As much as I love to be doing this for her. I don't think she's ever really felt the hurt of a shattered relationship the she was in."~*  
  
"Well, I'm going to the shop," Jessie said and handed Holly to Grace.  
  
"Oh yeah, leave me with the kids!" Grace yelled after her. She looked down at the babies. "I have to do this everyday. Just me, you two, and the devils themselves." She started toward the living room. "So, what do you want to watch. Rugrats? Rolie Polie Olie? Help me out here."  
  
"No!" a playful laugh came from the front door. Zoe and her friends walked in and prepared to go upstairs.  
  
Grace put Brian and Holly in the play pen and walked over to them. "Hey, guys, hold on!" she stopped them. "I need you guys to go over to another house. Other wise, I'm going to die. So you think you can go and come back by dinner or whatever."  
  
"Sure," Zoe said. "Come on, guys." With that, the three of them ran from the house.  
  
Grace smiled and walked into the living room. "This makes things a lot easier. Okay, next, call Judy ask her to watch you guys, and have the house to myself all day!"  
  
Lilly walked in the front door with a smile planted on her face. "Hey, Gracie," she said. Grace rolled her eyes and then turned around to see her mother. Lilly walked over to the play pen and kissed the twin on their forheads. "Hi, guys." She turned to Grace. "I have nothing to do today. So, I'm going to stay here with these two. You can go out-"  
  
"Great!" Grace said with sarcasm. "I'll be in the garage."  
  
She walked through the kitchen, out into the yard, and into Eli's room in the garage. She sat on his bed and lay down on his pillow. She grabbed the remote to his stereo and pressed power. Music blast through the speakers making Grace have to turn it down. She let out a huge sigh. How did her life become so boring and non-exciting. She sat up and looked around. How did she get to that place in her life where she wanted to be alone?  
  
Eli got home a couple hours later. He walked into the garage to see Grace sitting on his bed. She liokked up from her notebook and smiled at him. He put his jacket on a chair and sat on the bed next to her.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" he asked.  
  
"I wanted some alone time," Grace said and looked at the alarm clock on the side of his bed. "Guess time is up."  
  
"What are you writing?" Eli asked, pointing to the notebook.  
  
Grace looked down at the notebook. "I was sitting in here and got this sudden urge to write something. So, that's what I'm doing. It's going to be a story. I only have the begining but I think it's going okay." She picked up the remote to the radio and turned it off. She turned so that she was facing him. "So, how did it go at Coop's?"  
  
Eli smiled. "I have some news."  
  
"Okay, what?" Grace asked.  
  
He took her hand. "I'm moving out."  
  
"What?" Grace asked with confusion.  
  
"Coop is giving me his appartment. He knew I was stuck in my dad's garage and told me that because I'm twenty it might be good to get my own place. So, that's what I'm doing. And..." he said then he realized the way Grace was looking at him. "And, what's wrong?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, nothing," Grace said and put on a smile.  
  
"No, what is it?" Eli asked.  
  
"Well, if you move it's going to be harder for this relationship thing we have going on," Grace told him. "Just, you know what, forget it. It's stupid. I can still come over to the appartment when I get some time. If I get some time."  
  
"Are you trying to talk me out of this?"  
  
"No... Yes. I'm sorry."  
  
Eli laughed. "It's actually very flattering," he said and pushed a stranded of hair behind her ear. She let out a slight laugh. "It'll probably be easier if we tell everyone about us. And um, maybe you can move in with me. It's not to different from what we have now-"  
  
"Whoa," Grace said and pushed his hand away. "Hold on, honey. Moving in together? Where is this coming from? How did it go from helping Coop move out to us living together. E, that's a big step I'm not sure we're ready for. We've only been together for less then three months."  
  
"I know," Eli said and moved closer to her. "But I really think that it will be great."  
  
Grace stood up. "Hold on. You want to tell them we're dating and want to move in to Coop's appartment all at the same time. I think we should give this relationship a little bit longer. I'm not ready to move into a house with JUST you right now. But, I will be soon." She knelt on the bed and kissed him. "I love you."  
  
"I love you to," Eli smiled.  
  
"So, you understand what I'm saying?" Grace asked  
  
"Yeah, sure," Eli said, acting depressed.  
  
Grace smiled and kissed him softly. "So, um, I can always come over," she said, and then kissed him again. "Then, we don't have to hide in this garage anymore."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Eli smiled. He took her by the waste and pulled her down onto the bed beside him so that they were both laying down. "So, how often would you visit?"  
  
"Every day," Grace said and kissed his nose. 


	15. Chapter 15

PART 15   
  
Eli placed the box on the table and looked around. His family was helping him move into the new place. Coop moved all of his things out and they switched the rent to Eli's name. Karen looked around before Eli even put a box in the place. She was trying to make sure the place was grade "A" for her son. Even Sunny, Alex, Heather and Ralf started to help out.  
  
Jessie brought in a box and when she put it down she looked around. "I'm going to miss you living in the same house," she said and hugged him. He kissed the top of her head. "I think I'm going to cry!" She walked out of the appartment to get another box.  
  
Rick laughed. "I wish you would live in the garage forever."  
  
"Me to," Grace said outloud. Eli, Rick, Lilly and Karen turned to look at her. She let out a nervous laugh. "I'm going to get another box." She walked out of the room in a hurry and they all turned back to Eli.  
  
"My baby's going to live alone," Karen smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I never thought this would happen."  
  
Zoe walked in with Sunny and Alex at toe. "Okay, all the other boxes are way to heavy."  
  
"I'm going to take them home," she said. "See you at home." She kissed Rick on the cheek. Then she picked the twins up out of the play pen. "Don't forget to bring that home, Rick. Good luck, Eli. Bye, Karen."  
  
"Bye, Lilly," they all said as she left. Grace and Jessie walked in with boxes in their hands and also said good bye.  
  
"I should be going to," Karen said and kissed him on the cheek. "Henry!" Henry walked out of the bedroom with a smile. "Ready?"  
  
"Yeah," Henry answered. "Hey, E, this is a great place. Good luck." They grabbed their coats and walked out the door.  
  
"This is great!" Jessie said. "Maybe I'll get the garage."  
  
"No!" Grace and Rick yelled.  
  
"I'm getting it," Grace smiled. "After all, I'm the oldest. This way, Zoe can get her own room again."  
  
Jessie sighed. "Man."  
  
"I'm going to go get another box," Rick said and left the room.  
  
Jessie made sure he was down the hall before she turned to Eli and Grace. "So, you two moving in together? I mean, are you going to come out and then move in together?"  
  
"No," Grace said. "Not right now anyway."  
  
"You already know that you can live together," Jessie said. "It won't change the relationship. Alot of people day you don't really know a person until you live with them. Hey, 'A+' for you guys. You already know what that's like."  
  
Rick walked into the room with another box. "Know what what's like?"  
  
"Nothing," Jessie smiled.  
  
Heather ran into the appartment with Ralf at toe. "Okay, Jess, you ready to go?"  
  
"Yeah," Jessie nodded. "I'll see you at home dad. We're going to go to Johnny's house." She hugged Eli. "See you later."  
  
Rlaf grabbed his coat and turned to Jessie. "Johnny said she's going through a clensing, relaxing state so we're going to try and annoy her until she bursts."  
  
"Sounds like fun!" Jessie laughed. "Bye, guys." The three of them walked out of the appartment and started toward Heather's car.  
  
"So," Rick smiled. "I am going home. No reason for me to stay. Grace, you going to follow?"  
  
"I think I'm going to help Eli unpack," Grace told him. "I'll see you at home."  
  
"Okay," Rick smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, E." He grabbed his coat and left the appartment, closing the door behind him.  
  
Grace sat on the couch that Coop had left for Eli. "I couldn't do it," she said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Eli asked and sat on the back of the couch.  
  
"Move out," she answered and looked up at him. "I mean, tonight will be the first time you go to bed without someone you know and love close by. I wouldn't be able to sleep. Knowing me I'd go home and craw into my mom's bed. But that's just me, I'm not brave. Living alone would kill me."  
  
"Oh," Eli said. "I have something for you." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a key. "Even if you don't live with me the least you can do is take this key."  
  
Grace took it and smiled and kissed him. "It's the least I can do."  
  
Grace left about an hour later. Eli unpacked some more boxes and then decided to go to bed. Grace was right. It wasn't easy to sleep. He tried to watch television and tried to sleep again after that but it was hard. Finally he climbed out of bed and picked up the phone to call Grace. He did need to know someone was close by, the first person he thought of was her.  
  
"Hello?" a familiar voice answered the phone.  
  
"Hey, Jess, is Grace awake?" Eli asked.  
  
"Oh, yeah, hold on," Jessie said.  
  
A few seconds passed and finally Grace got on the phone. "Hello?" she asked with a yawn.  
  
"Did I wake you?" he asked and sat on the couch.  
  
Grace laughed. "Couldn't sleep could you?"  
  
"I couldn't even shut my eyes," Eli told her.  
  
"Well, I have no advice for you, so I am the wrong person to call. How about you try not to think about it. It's the only thing I can tell you."  
  
"Well, I'll try," Eli said.  
  
"I should go," Grace said. "Jessie wants to call Ralf."  
  
"Okay, good night," Eli said.  
  
"Night," she relpied then hung up.  
  
Eli placed the phone on the hook then let out a sigh. He turned the lights off and walked back into his bedroom. He lay back in his bed and tried to get some more sleep. An hour had passed and he was still wide awake. He looked over at the clock and realized it was three in the morning. He groans and rolled over onto his other side.  
  
"Hey," a voice came from the bedroom doorway.  
  
Eli turned back over to see Grace standing at the foot of the bed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Grace took her jacket off. "I have no idea," she said and climbed into the bed next to him. "I left a note saying I left for your appartment early to help you unpack, so mom will find it when she wakes up. I thought I would come and help you get some sleep." She lay down and smiled at him. "Hey."  
  
"Hey," he smiled.  
  
"So, um, feeling any better?" Grace asked.  
  
"A lot."  
  
"Good, that's what I was hoping for," she said. She kissed him softly and moved a little closer to him. "Now, go to sleep. You have work in the morning."  
  
The next morning Eli woke up with his arm around Grace's waist. He smiled and pulled him closer to him. She moaned slightly but just snuggled back into him. He pulled the covers over her some more so that she would be warm and then he decided to watch her sleep. After a couple of minutes Grace's eyes flutered open to see Eli staring at her. She streched and smiled at him.  
  
"Morning," he smiled.  
  
Grace leaned on her arm and with the other one pushed her hair behind her ear. "I love waking up next to you."  
  
"Me to," Eli said.  
  
He leaned forward and kissed her hard. She excepted his kiss greatfully. The night before she was laying in her bed staring at the ceiling and decided she would go to Eli's for the night. She never even gave it a second thought. She saw the key on her side table and left. When she had gotten to Eli's she felt at home. Then, waking up next to him the next morning felt amazing, even if all they did was sleep. She sunk into his amazing kiss. It almost felt like they were both hungry for each other.  
  
"Eli?" a familiar voice came from the living room. Grace and Eli stopped and looked toward the bedroom door.  
  
"Great!" Grace whispered.  
  
"I'll see who it is," Eli climbed out of bed, shoved a shirt on and walked into the living room. He smiled as he saw his mother walk into the appartment with three bags of groceries and Henry behind her with a box full of more food. "Hey, mom. What's up, Henry? You guys are here early."  
  
"Oh, I know," Karen smiled and kissed his cheek. "I was out food shopping and knew your fridge was empty so I picked up a few things. So, how did you sleep...?"  
  
Grace walked out of the bedroom with a nervous smile. "Hi, guys," she hid behind Eli so that Karen wouldn't hit her or anything.  
  
"Ooooh," Karen smiled at the sight. "Well, I hope we weren't interrupting anything."  
  
"Uh, no, nothing," Grace said.  
  
Henry laughed. "You have to excuse Karen, she's had three cups of coffee this morning."  
  
Eli smiled. "So, what did you guys get me?"  
  
Grace looked down at her outfit and realized she was in her plaid pajamas. She even had one of Eli's old shirts on. She just shook her head and walked over to the kitchen counter where the three of them were taking groceries out of the bags. Karen put things in the fridge. She seemed pleased with herself for helping her son out.  
  
"Oh, I forgot a bag in the car," Karen said. "I'll be right back." She walked out of the appartment in a hurry.  
  
Henry saw Grace and Eli smile at each other and he couldn't help but smile at the sight. "So, me being a new parent in your life should I talk to you about anything?" he asked Eli.  
  
Eli let out a chocked laugh. "That's okay. Um, dad gave me 'the talk' when I was younger. You have no worries."  
  
"Thank God," Henry said.  
  
Grace took a bag of chips and some dip out of the bag and then opened both of them. "So, what exactly was this talk about? Mom never gave it to me. She thinks I'm a goody-goody and don't need it... Okay, so I haven't needed it yet, but I am not a goody-goody."  
  
Karen walked back in with another bag. "I hope you don't mind, baby, but I envited some people over. Just the family and even grandmom and grandpop are going to pay a little visit." Eli went wide eyed at the sound of that. "Don't even start. I know that my parents are not your biggest fans but they do love you."  
  
"This means you're going to meet the two people who actually hate me," Eli told Grace. "Every single time they see me there is something wrong. I'm surprised they even agreed to come. They hate mom to."  
  
"They don't hate anybody," Karen said.  
  
"Yeah, and they always welcome me with open arms when they see me," Eli smiled. "Jessie will be here right? She's the only one who knows how to handle them. Last time I saw them was when I broke up with Jennifer and they told me that she was the only thing good for me and I just ruined my whole life by letting her go. Then when they heard I wasn't going to college Gram's exact word were, 'I knew it' and 'he'll never amount to anything.' They aren't the best grandparents."  
  
Grace ate a chip and shook her head. "Do they like Jessie a lot?"  
  
"She's their baby," Eli sighed. 


	16. Chapter 16

PART 16   
  
Jessie walked into Eli's appartment with Ralf at toe. Almost everyone had already arrived. Her mother had called them the night before asking them to come over for a house warming party for Eli. She even heard her grandparents were going to be there. She knew Eli wasn't going to be happy about that.  
  
"Hey, Jess," Eli said when they walked into the appartment. "Hey, Ralf."  
  
"Hi," Jessie smiled. "When is Grams and Poppy getting here?"  
  
"Hopefully never," Eli sighed.  
  
The knock came at the door and Jessie smiled. "That's probably them. Eli be nice."  
  
"I'll try," Eli said.  
  
Jessie swung the door open and yelled, "Grandmom, Grandpop!" She hugged them and then let them in.  
  
"Hello, Jessie," her grandmother smiled. "You look beautiful and you have grown so much."  
  
"Thank you, Grams," Jessie smiled.  
  
"Hi, mom," Karen said.  
  
Rick walked over to the door to greet them. "Hello, Rita. Hey, Johnathon."  
  
"Oh, Rick, how great to see you," Rita smiled and kissed his cheek.  
  
Elilet out a breath and walked over to them. "Hey, Grams. Hey, Gramps."  
  
"Hello, Eli," Rita and Johnathon said in unison.  
  
Rita looked around. "Tell me you are going to paint this place. Not to mention, tell me this place is not perminate. This place is a dump. You could atleast find a place with an elevator."  
  
"Only took you five seconds to start," Eli said. "I think that's a record."  
  
"Don't talk to your grandmother like that," Johnathon snapped.  
  
Eli rolled his eyes. "Yes, sir."  
  
Grace put on a fake smile. "Oh, so, welcome and may I take your coats?"  
  
"Oh, you're to sweet," Rita smiled. "Dear, what is your name?"  
  
"Grace," she answered.  
  
Rita smiled. "Grace, such a beautiful name. Well, I'm Rita and this is my husband Johnathon."  
  
"It's nice to meet you," Grace answered. She took their coats and took them into Eli's bedroom. She walked back out and over to Eli in the kitchen. "Hey, you okay?"  
  
"It only took them five damn seconds to start in on me," Eli said and poured some chips into a bowl. "I really hate it when they come over. Madam Rita over there thinks I'm the devil."  
  
"Well, they like me," Grace smiled. Eli tilted his head to the side as if it wasn't helping to here it. "Sorry." Grace looked out into the living room and started to whisper so no one could hear her. "So, um, I wanted to talk to you. It's really important."  
  
"Can we talk later?" Eli asked.  
  
Grace sighed. "Sure, whatever."  
  
"E!" Zoe ran into the kitchen. "Where are the chips?"  
  
"Hold on," Eli told Zoe. Grace just rolled her eyes and walked away.  
  
Jessie sat next to Ralf and grabbed some chips. "Sorry I drug you to this. I would have brought Katie, but with the whole fight and stuff it wasn't the best idea. Plus, she's not talking to me so I couldn't have asked her."  
  
"So, Jessie," Rita smiled, "who is your friend?"  
  
Jessie looked over at her grandmother. "Oh, right. This is my friend Ralf."  
  
"Hello, Ralf," Rita smiled. "So, is he just a friend?"  
  
Jessie went wide eyed. "Grandmom! Yes, we are just friends." Ralf let out a small laugh. "Hey, you be quiet." Grace sat on the floor and hugged her knees. Jessie and Ralf exchanged glances. "Grace? Everything okay?"  
  
"Huh?" Grace looked up. "Oh, um, yeah. I'm fine."  
  
"So, Grace," Johnathon started, "what grade are you in?"  
  
"I'm a freshman in college," she answered.  
  
Rita smiled. "That's wonderful. Do you live on campus?"  
  
"No, I still live at home. It's a lot cheeper. But, um, my friend Kelly is looking for a roommate and I'm thinking about moving in with her." Lilly and Eli both looked at her with confusion. "It's a pretty great place. Not far from home and not far from campus."  
  
"Sounds great," Johnathon said.  
  
"Yeah, it is," Grace said. She tried to avoid her family's stares. "And it'll be so much fun."  
  
"So, do you have anyone special in your life?" Rita urged.  
  
"Very curious, aren't we?" Grace smiled. "If you must know, there's one guy I've had my eye on but that's it. Nothing big."  
  
"Well, you're a very beautiful girl, I bet this boy is drooling over you," Rita told her.  
  
Jessie looked at her watch. "Oh, Ralf, we have to go," she said. She smiled at everyone. "Sorry, we're meeting Johnny, Heather, Michelle and Kyle at the shop. Then, we're going to go to the new swing club on Orran drive. Ralf is an excilant swing dancer. Not to mention Johnny's father owns the club." She kissed her grandparents goodbye. "So, um, how long you in town for?"  
  
"Oh, for a week," Rita said. "We'll have plenty of time to talk."  
  
"See ya at home, dad," Jessie said. "Bye everybody."  
  
Ralf and Jessie left and met up with their friends at the shop. Not to long later they arrived at the club. When they walked in the swing music took them into the beat. People were dancing and flipping and having the time of their lives. Johnny waved to her father as she saw him walk in and walked over to him. Jessie and her friends looked at each other, smiled and went straight to the dance floor.  
  
Ralf took both of Jessie's hands and showed her a few steps. When she got it wrong they would laugh and try over and over again. Johnny soon joined with Kyle and Heather with Michelle who they met up with at the club. All of them danced in one part of the floor. Jessie and Kyle being the only two who didn't know what they were doing.  
  
Hours later Jessie arrived home. Grace was sitting on the couch eating ice cream and a box of chocolates watching television. Before Jessie did anything she walked over to her and placed her hands on her hips.  
  
"What happened?" Jessie asked. Grace just shook her head and kept her eyes glued to the television. Jessie grabbed the remote and turned it off. "Eating ice cream and chocolate at the same time is not nothing. Who did you fight with?"  
  
"No one," Grace said and tossed the chocolate onto the table. "I've decided to move in with Kelly and my mom isn't taking it to great. Apparently, I'm to young and stupid to live on my own. Not to mention mom said I'll be back home in a week. Talk about having little faith in your daughter."  
  
Jessie sighed and sat next to her. "Okay, my turn to give advice. Lilly just doesn't want you to leave home. To her, you're still a baby who needs her. She'd miss you like crazy if you left. Do what you want, not what she say." Jessie took a piece of chocolate. "And, also, don't ask permission. Just say, I'm moving out. Otherwise, your mom will think she still has control over you."  
  
Grace laughed. "You know what? You're pretty good at this."  
  
"Thanks," Jessie laughed.  
  
Jessie got up to her room and turned on the radio. She went into her school back pack and pulled out a CD. She smiled and put it on. The swing music started making Jessie tap her foot. She pretended to have a dance partner and started to practice dancing. Later, she got to sleep to the sound of it. The next morning she heard her alarm clock go off but still heard the swing in the back ground.  
  
At school, Jessie opened her locker with a yawn. She pushed her hair from her face and took some books out. Her friends Kyle and Michelle saw her and started over. She didn't even notice them approach her until Michelle slammed the locker shut.  
  
"Hello? Anybody home?" Kyle asked.  
  
"Oh, right," Jessie let out a small laugh. "Sorry. That club last night has my head spinning."  
  
"Was it the club or was it that fine boy you're always with?" Michelle laughed. Jessie shook her head. "I swear, if you two weren't attached at the hip I would shove him in my pocket and take him home. So, when are you two going to go out on a date that doesn't include Kyle?"  
  
"Hey!" Kyle yelled.  
  
"Oh, shish boy, you know you are always in the way," Michelle told him. She swung her hair over her shoulder and turned to Jessie. "Well, like I was saying before it interrupted me, you two are made pairing. You should go for it!"  
  
Jessie opened her locker again and took out another text book. "You want to go to the shop after school?"  
  
"Sure, need a ride?" Kyle asked. Jessie nodded. "Meet me at my car after school. It's always good to do something nice for your friends."  
  
"Please boy," Michelle slapped his arm, "the only reason you want to go is for Johnny. And please, she ain't gonna give you the time of day. You are so not her type."  
  
Jessie laughed and shut her locker. "Elle's got a point. Johnny is tough, cute, and not to mention, so out of your reach. Now, someone who is your type is is... um... is... wow, I didn't think it would be this hard."  
  
"So, you're saying I don't have a type," Kyle noted.  
  
"No, everybody has a type, you just... you... um... don't."  
  
Michelle nodded. "Sorry, buddy. I have a type. Tall, dark, and hott... oooh, my type is funny and smart... and... and I need a man!"  
  
"Anyways," Jessie said. "That's Elle's type. It fits her. Drape that guy around her arm.... I mean, drape her around that guys arm and it looked good. But with you, no one is draping around your arm. Maybe it's because we know you to well or something, but we can't see it." 


	17. Chapter 17

PART 17   
  
Rick twist the wrench around the pipe under the sink. He climbed out from underneath and checked to see if the sink was working again. As the water came out he smiled at his good work. Then he shut it off and closed the cabinets. When he turned around he jumped back when he realized Grace was staring at him.  
  
"Hey, don't sneak up on people like that," Rick said.  
  
"Sorry," she said. She walked over to the island. "So, um, I want you to talk to mom. She's gone all postal on me and the moving thing. Maybe if you talk to her she'll relax a little. Lately she's been so mad she won't talk to me. I want to move. I can't stay here forever!"  
  
"I know," Rick sighed. "It's just a lot right now. Eli moving out, and now you. Not to mention, zoe's growing independant, Jessie's never home, and all she has left is the twins. I guess she thought she would always have you to."  
  
"Rick!" Grace cried. "Please talk to her. It's not like i won't be safe. I'll have Kelly and her older brother right there!" Rick went wide eyed when she mention Kelly's brother. "He lives across the hall with his roommate Adam. So, we're protected. Pretty please, Rick. Talk to her..." She let her voice trial off when the back door opened and Lilly walked in.  
  
"Hey," she said and placed her jacket on the coat rack. "Fix the sink?"  
  
"Yeah," Rick answered. "It's good now."  
  
"I have to go," Grace said. "I have to go see Kelly's appartment, and my new room. Her roommate isn't all the way out yet but it's okay. I still have a week or two at home. So I have plenty of time to pack."  
  
Lilly shook her head. "You can't leave this house. We all need you here. Kelly can find a different roommate," she said as if it were nothing. "Tell her you're sorry but you can't live with her."  
  
"No," Grace said in the same tone. Lilly froze and looked up at her daughter. Grace turned to Rick. "I'll be back in a few hours." She grabbed her keys and left the house in a hurry and slammed the door behind her.  
  
Rick let out a sigh. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lilly said and sat at the kitchen table.  
  
"Grace is a grown woman," Rick told her and sat across from her. "She needs to get out on her own. Who knows, maybe she'll get homesick and come back home. You never know. But the thing to do with grown kids today is to just let them do whatever they want. No matter what you tell them to do they'll do something different. And same goes for the ones who still have to listen. They never do what you tell them to."  
  
"But Grace is different. A year ago she told me she was staying home for college. Now, after everything, she's leaving home. We need her here. I know she still needs me. She's to young to live on her own."  
  
"She's not going to live alone," Rick said. "Kelly is in the next room and Kelly's brother and his roommate are across the hall. She's safe there. Think of this, right now your daughter is looking at her new home. What is she thinking about?"  
  
"What colors should she paint the walls?" Lilly joked.  
  
"No... maybe," Rick laughed. "She's probably changing her mind because she thinks you'll hate her if she moves. It might sound like I'm saying this to make you feel better but I'm sure it's what she's thinking. When she gets home tonight, tell her you want her to do what she wants."  
  
Grace arrived at Kelly's and knocked on the door. "Kelly? It's Grace."  
  
Kelly's door flung open and her roommate waved her in. "Come on in."  
  
"Thanks," Grace said and closed the door behind her. "So, Isabella, how's the packing going?"  
  
Isabella turned to Grace and held up papers with colors on them. "What would color would you use to paint your appartment? My new place is so dead! I need color."  
  
"Go with maroon and white," Grace told her. "My friend Rachel had her's those colors and it used to look amazing."  
  
Isabella looked at the two colors. "I can see that. Thanks." She turned away and shoved the tiny papers into a shoe box. "Kelly! Grace is here!"  
  
Kelly ran from her bedroom in a man's shirt and her hair messed up. "Hey, Grace. Sorry, I was a little busy, if ya know what I mean."  
  
"Honey, everybody knows what you mean!" Isabella laughed.  
  
The front door opened and two men walked in. One of them dunked back at the sight of Kelly in just a shirt that barely went past her hips. The other one smiled and looked her up and down.  
  
"Oh, God, Kelly, can you put something on!" the one yelled.  
  
Kelly shook her head with annoyance. "Grace, this is Buddy, my brother. And that thing behind him is Adam, his roommate."  
  
A man walked out of Kelly's bedroom putting his suit jacket on. "Hey, I'll call you later."  
  
"Okay, bye, baby," Kelly kissed him. When he left Kelly smiled at Grace. "Oh, honey, you have got to get some of that! Well from Eli, but you know what I mean."  
  
"Yes!" everybody yelled.  
  
"Sorry," Kelly held her hands up in front of her.  
  
Grace got home a little later, after looking the appartment over. When she walked in she saw her mother in the living room flipping through a magazine. Grace took a deep breath and walked toward her. She hoped Rick had talked to her like she had asked.  
  
"Hey, mom," Grace said and plopped on the couch next to her.  
  
Lilly smiled over at her. "Hey, honey, how was the appartment?"  
  
"Um, it was great," Grace said with confusion.  
  
"I talked to Rick," Lilly told her as she tossed the magazine on the coffee table. She twisted around so that she was facing her daughter. "I've made up my mind. You should live with Kelly. You're a grown woman and you need your space. Not to mention you'll be close and I can always call you. And, if anything ever happens, you'll always have a place to stay."  
  
Grace smiled and hugged her mother. "Thanks so much, mom."  
  
"Do you need help packing?" Lilly asked as her daughter backed away.  
  
"Mom, don't push me out the door just yet," Grace laughed and climbed to her feet. "I have to call Kelly and tell her the move is on!" She ran into the kitchen and picked up the phone. She dialed Kelly's numbed and waited for somebody to pick up.  
  
"Hello?" a familair voice asked.  
  
"Hey, Buddy," Grace said. "Is Kelly there?"  
  
Buddy was quite for a minute. "Uh, no. I think she and Isabella just took some stuff down to the truck. Why? What's up?"  
  
"Tell her I said yes!" Grace smiled. "I want to move into the appartment." Jessie walked in through the back door and smiled at Grace. Grace gave a little wave and went back to the conversation. "Thanks. See ya later, Buddy." She hung up and turned to Jessie. "I have an appartment."  
  
"Are you serious?" Jessie asked with excitment. "Kelly's letting you move in! That's great." She looked to see if anyone was listening and leaned toward Grace. "Now, you won't have to sneak to Eli's." Grace went wide eyed. "Yeah, I know everything."  
  
Grace just laughed. "So, anything from Katie?"  
  
"Nothing," Jessie sighed. "I'm worried. Heather told me she hasn't been home for two days! I can't help but wonder where she is. Do you think it's my fault she disappeared?"  
  
Grace didn't answer. She opened her mouth but shut it right away. What was she supposed to say? No, Jess, it's mine? Not really. Jessie broke Katie's heart. Katie could be anywhere crying or drunk or just hurting. So, Jessie was partly to blame for the disapearence. Grace couldn't tell her that she wasn't.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "Remember Carla? I still remember the day she left. She was my best friend and she left me as if I wasn't going to worry. I always worry. I still worry. The last letter I got from her said that she was having the time of her life. Not to mention she felt free..."~*  
  
Jessie sighed. "I know what you mean."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"... I always thought one day she would come back and take me away from here. That's what she told me she would do in the last letter..."~*  
  
Grace jumped onto the counter. "I'm not saying it's your fault. But she's probably just hurting. Give her time."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"...I wrote her back. I don't remember everything I said. I told her she should come now. I told her that I was dying to get out of here. I felt like I was in a box..."~*  
  
Jessie just smiled and walked out of the room. "I'm going to see if I can find her."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"... I told her she was my only hope. I got a call a week later from her brother. He told me..." A tear rolled down Grace's cheek. "... he told me that Carla was hit by a car and put into a coma while she was coming to get me. I blamed myself. I mean, why wouldn't I? I asked her to come for me and she was being a great friend by following my wishes."~* 


	18. Chapter 18

PART 18   
  
Jessie walked into the shop and took a look around. Their were costomers holding aromas up to their noses as usual. Jessie smiled at Johnny as she walked behind the counter and into the back. She knew exactly where to find Ralf. When she got to the back of the room she smiled to see Ralf putting boxes and other things on the shelves.  
  
"Ah, Superman," Jessie laughed. "The one man with the strength of twenty men."  
  
Ralf smiled. "Hello, Jessie."  
  
"Hi," Jessie said and sat down on a crate. "It's such a mess back here. It's not so surprising when you know Johnny works here, but with you, you'd think you would clean. I've been in your room, it's organized down to the toys you played with when you were a baby." Ralf rolled his eyes playfully. "Okay, sorry. So, my real reason for coming. My stepsister just moved out! This means I am moving into the garage. I need you to help me move in there."  
  
"Sure," Ralf said.  
  
"Okay, so that gives me you, Heather, Kyle and Michelle," Jessie narrowed it down.  
  
"Sounds good. What about Johnny?"  
  
"Johnny is busy with the shop. You know this."  
  
"Slipped my mind. Things seem to do that. Anyways, what time you want me there?"  
  
Jessie took a candle and smelled it. "Uh, around five tonight. That's when Elle is coming. It won't be to hard. Eli left me his bed. Which I have to wash. The garage smells completely like Eli. It needs a decent scrub not to mention a new paint job. We can work on it this weekend."  
  
Later that night Ralf arrived at the Manning/Sammler house. He walked in through the front door and went straight into the empty kitchen. He looked in the fridge and pulled out a soda. He felt someone tickle his sides and he jumped, turned around and saw a laughing Jessie.  
  
"Make yourself at home," she smiled.  
  
"Don't mind if I do," he said and opened the can of soda. "So, let me see your new... garage."  
  
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Come on," she grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the garage. "This is it! Isn't it great."  
  
Ralf looked around and nodded. "Not to bad for a girl still in high school. I can't believe your dad is letting you live in here. They'll never know who's in here."  
  
"I know, isn't it great," she giggled. "My own place. I won't have to move out, I have my garage. MY garage. Okay, so, lets just get started. Do you want to paint right now? Or-"  
  
"Where's the paint?" Ralf asked.  
  
They grabbed paint brushes and started to paint the walls a light blue. It wasn't as hard as her father told her it would be. It was actually fun. It was only around three o'clock and no one was going to get to her house until later that night. So, it was just the two of them having the time of their life. The smell of the fumes were starting to get to Jessie so she stopped for a second.  
  
"Open the window, hun," Jessie said.  
  
Ralf nodded and opened it up quickly. "Okay, so, how long do you think it'll take to paint this room?"  
  
"I have no idea," she said as she looked over at him. She laughed to see Ralf with a line of paint down his cheek. "Honey, we're painting my walls not ourselves."  
  
Ralf checked his cheek with his hand and then shook his head. "Oh, it's funny? Come here!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him and then he put paint on her nose. "Now, how funny is it?"  
  
"Very," Jessie said with bits of laughter. She dunked her brush into the paint and swung it at him. He jumped back but the paint still got him.  
  
"Okay! That's it," he laughed.  
  
They both started swinging their brushes at each other. Both of them in histerical laughter. Jessie grabbed a roller, dunked it into the paint and pointed it at him. He held his hands up and dropped his brush in forfit.  
  
"I win!" Jessie laughed.  
  
Ralf grabbed the roller, pulled it down and pulled Jessie against his chest. They stopped laughing after they realized there faces were only inches away. She could feel his breath against her face. She felt herself drop the roller, but didn't bother to look down to see if it stained to carpet. Ralf didn't let his grip on her arm go. They just stared at each other as if waiting for something to happen. Jessie jumped at the chance.  
  
She leaned up and kissed him with mad passion. He let his grip go on her arm and she brought both hands up and around his face. Each of them could taste the hunger in between them. Jessie even felt herself pulling him over to the bed that was in the room. But, when the door flew open the two quickly seperated, continuing to stare at each other, both breathless. Heather, Michelle and Kyle walked in and froze at the sight of the two kissing.  
  
"Whoa," Michelle smiled. "You know, you never see what you think you're going to see. What's behind door number one you ask? You say it's a boat. Oh no, sorry, it's two close friends making out!"  
  
"Hey, guys," Jessie gave a nervous laugh.  
  
"Hi," Heather smiled. "What was going on in here?" She looked them over. "Oh, romantic paint fight. Gets ya everytime."  
  
"Mmm hmm," Michelle nodded. "Every single time."  
  
"Maybe we should leave them alone," Kyle suggested.  
  
Michelle and Heather looked back at him. "No way!" they said in unison.  
  
"Okay," Jessie stopped them. "It's time to paint."  
  
"I have questions!" Michelle screamed with delight. She grabbed Jessie's arms and pulled her onto the bed. "I want details. Dry? Wet? Good? Bad? Any slippage? Details, chica. I don't have all night."  
  
"I've never heard a black girl say chica," Jessie smiled.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Michelle said. "That wasn't an answer to any of my questions. And if you really want to know, I have to stop hanging out with Johnny. Now! Answer my questions."  
  
"Can we please paint my room?" Jessie smiled.  
  
Heather walk over. "You boys got to go. We have some major girl talk to get to."  
  
Ralf laughed. "Come on, Kyle, before she starts throwing things." Ralf walked out of the garage and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Please tell us," Michelle smiled.  
  
Heather sat down. "As sick as this may sound," she laughed, "on a scale from one to ten, how good was this kiss."  
  
"Eleven!" Jessie laughed and fell back. "Oh, God, guys. We were just ahving so much fun and we got caught up in the moment. The greatest thing about it is, I don't feel guilty!" Jessie sat back up. "I thought that if anything happened between me and Katie but I feel absolutly nothing toward guilt."  
  
Heather took her coat off and turned to face Jessie. "Sense we're on the subject of Katie, she's home. She came home this morning. Apparently she and some guy named Marco went to New York for a while and had the time of their lives. She, um, she and Marco have a thing going on. It's pretty strange actually."  
  
"Wait!" Jessie stopped her. "Katie is back in the closet?"  
  
"I don't know, I think she's just having college fun," Heather told her. "But, her and Marco are pretty heavy. He came home with her this morning. When I left the were making out on the couch."  
  
Jessie sat back confused. "This is the girl who told me that I should be true to myself. This is the girl that made me come out of a closet I wanted to be locked inside forever. Now she's locked herself back into and left me out to wear the same cloths over and over again-"  
  
"Can we stop with the medaphores?" Michelle asked.  
  
"Right sorry," Jessie said then continued. "She somehow makes me become gay, then she becomes straight and then she leaves me out in the cold to deal with my problems alone. If we hadn't broken up what would she be doing right now? This would be classified as cheating. Which, I have no room to talk, do I?"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie is sitting on the chair. "When did this all become complicated. I remember when everything was great with Katie. I thought it would always be love and bliss."~*  
  
"Not really," Heather smiled. "Come on. Katie is just going through one of those phases... Oh, God, I sound like my grandmother."  
  
"What about your mom?" Michelle asked.  
  
"Oh, God, no," Heather said. "When I went through that thing where you really hate your parents my mom said, 'It's so natural and beautiful.' It was so scary. Trust me, I wasn't just saying those things, I did hate her. Now I hardly visit."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Heather smiles. "My hippie parents are worse then regular parents. They never set rules and they treated us like everything we did was good. Like when I stoll a car my mom hugged me and told me how proud she was. You'd think that was great! But trust me, it's so annoying." She almost falls off the stoll and she puts her foot down to keep balance and starts to laugh.~*  
  
"So, you and Ralf going to move foward?" Michelle asked.  
  
"I don't know," Jessie answered. "I hope we do!" The three girls screamed and then Jessie stopped them. "We have to paint my room now."  
  
"Yeah, okay," Michelle and Heather said in unison.  
  
The next morning everyone moved Grace's things into her new appartment. They made a day out of it. Grace seemed excited. When they had all finished moving in, everyone left besides Jessie and Eli. When waving the family off they went back into the appartment. Grace ran in, jumped onto the couch and jumped up and down.  
  
"I have my own place!" she smiled.  
  
Kelly laughed. "Okay, okay. Listen, me and you have to get a pet. It's something I just love to do. Isabella and I had a hampster."  
  
"I don't remember you having a hampster," Grace said, still standing on the couch.  
  
"Yeah, well, I kind of ran in over with the vacuum," she explained.  
  
Grace went wide eyed. "Okay, so we need a large animal." Eli and Jessie walked into the appartment and closed the door. "Oh, hey, I can offically welcome you two to my... sorry, Kelly... our appartment."  
  
"About time," Eli laughed as he walked over to the couch.  
  
Jessie crossed her arms. "So, how does it feel to have your own place?"  
  
"Weird," Grace said.  
  
A knock came on the door and Jessie ran over to it. When she opened it Ralf and Michelle walked in. "Hey guys. I told them to pick me up here. So if I'm ever here they know where I am. So, ready to go?"  
  
"Yeah," Michelle said and she and Ralf left.  
  
Jessie put her coat on and smiled over at Grace. "I'll call you tonight. We have so much to talk about!"  
  
"Okay," Grace said. "Bye."  
  
When Jessie was gone Eli turned to Grace. "Call you tonight?"  
  
"Yeah," Grace said. "We are close now. I don't know. we just both give really good advice."  
  
"Those two have been friends sense you two hooked up," Kelly jumped in. "I should know. Jessie is wearing Grace's blue blouse. The blouse was given to Grace from her grandmom. She never lets anyone borrow that shirt. But, Jessie and her have been getting along so well that Grace trusts Jessie to take care of the shirt."  
  
Grace just shrugged. "That's pretty much it."  
  
"Oh, and you guys should know," Kelly started and Eli and Grace looked over at her. "Jessie kissed her guy friend. Ralf? Right? I don't know his name. But the way she looked at him was just so obvious. That's what you guys are going to talk about."  
  
"How do you do that?" Eli asked.  
  
"When she was younger her parents tought her how to study people," Grace answered and fell down onto the couch. "Study by outfits or hair or facial expressions. All she has to do is look at someone and she knows what's going on. Oh! Kelly, try it out on Eli."  
  
"You want to stay the night," Kelly jumped at the chance. "Not to have sex but just to be with Grace. You are so sweet. I bet you're wondering how I know. You came over in sweat pants and a regular t-shirt. Not to mention that you've been trying to get Grace alone all night so you could talk to her. Oh, and Grace says you can stay."  
  
"Thanks, Kell," Grace said.  
  
"No problem," Kelly said and walked into her own room.  
  
"I couldn't live with her," Eli laughed and sat down next to Grace.  
  
Grace smiled over at him. "I'm used to it. She's been doing things like that sense we met-" The phone rang and Grace leaped up to get it. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, Grace," Isabella's voice came through.  
  
"Oh, hey, Bella," Grace smiled. "How's New York?"  
  
"First day here I almost got hit by a car," Isabella told her. "But, other then that, it's pretty great. So, did you get your pet yet? Kelly took me out to get it the day I moved in."  
  
"Yeah, I heard," Grace laughed. "But, not yet."  
  
"Get a kitten. I wanted one but when Kelly saw the hampster she had to have it. So, make sure you got right to the cat section! Don't stop until you get there."  
  
"Thanks for the tip," Grace said. She opened the fridge and took out a can of soda. "Kelly isn't that hard to love with is she?"  
  
"Well, Chris will be there almost every night," she answered.  
  
"No!"  
  
"I know. I hate him. He can't find someone his own age."  
  
"I know," Grace agreed.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace is on the stool. "Chris is twenty-nine years old. He works for Kelly's father. He doesn't know about them sleeping together, or dating each other so its a secret. I know what that's like. But me and Isabella both hate them together."~*  
  
Kelly walked out of her room and looked over at Grace. "Stop talking about Chris and me. I know that's Isabella."  
  
"Give her a damn blindfold!" Isabella said through the phone.  
  
Grace laughed. "You took it with you. I talk to you later. Kelly wants to talk to you." Grace handed Kelly the phone then she walked over to Eli, who was still on the couch. "Bells wants me to get a cat. It's big enoughto see so Kelly won't vacuum it up and smalls enough to keep in an appartment."  
  
"Sounds good," Eli said.  
  
Kelly hung up the phone and placed it on the counter. She stopped and looked at the coffee machine. "Hey, cool, how does this work?"  
  
Grace shook her head. "This is going to be a lot of work."  
  
Later that night Grace changed into a pair of blue "Princess" pajama bottoms and a pink tank top. She dropped onto the couch next to Eli and then lay her head against his chest, his arm drapped around her. He flipped through the television channels until he found the only thing interresting, which just happens to be the new. He looked down to see Grace sound asleep. He smiled as he heard her calm breath. Then a knock came from the door making her leap forward in surprise.  
  
She walked over to the door, unlocked it, then opened it. "Hey, Buddy," she said. She moved over and let him in. "What's up?"  
  
"Where's Kelly?" he asked.  
  
"Kelly!" Grace called and she started toward the couch. She sat down and grabbed the remote from Eli. "Chris is supposed to be coming over."  
  
"I hate that guy," Buddy said. He looked at Eli. "Um, hi."  
  
"Oh, right," Grace smiled. "Eli, this is Kelly's brother Buddy. Buddy, this is my boyfriend Eli."  
  
"Hey," Eli said.  
  
"Hey," Buddy repeated. He turned back to Grace. "What time is he coming?"  
  
Grace looked over at the clock. "In a half an hour."  
  
Kelly walked out with a cute black dress on and her hair in a clip. She smiled as she saw Buddy. "Hey. What's up?"  
  
"Is there a special occasion I don't know about?" Buddy asked.  
  
Kelly picked up some matches and started to light some candles. "I just think that instead of just being hot and heavy, I'm going to make it romantic as well. So, you two go into the bedroom and, Buddy, you and Adam stay across the hall. I want this to be perfect."  
  
"He already knows what your like in bed," Grace laughed.  
  
Kelly hit her over the head. "Yeah, you know, unlike you and your boyfriend."  
  
"Shut up," Grace laughed and threw a pillow at her.  
  
"Virgin!"  
  
"Hoe!"  
  
They both went into bits of laughter. Kelly picked the pillow up and shoved it on the couch. Grace lay down and put her head on Eli's lap. Grace held her stomach and then relaxed her laughs and became calm. Kelly turned and started to light more candels. The only noise was the sound of the television talking about a thurnder storm that was coming for the south. A knock came at the door after twenty minutes. Kelly grabbed Grace's arm and pulled her up.  
  
"Okay, you two have to go into the bedroom," she smiled.  
  
Grace sighed. "Fine. But why not make this a double date?"  
  
"Go," Kelly said and pointed toward her door.  
  
Grace grabbed Eli's hand. "Come on, Eli."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace laughs. "It's actually a game. Kelly and I don't ever get mad at each other. We just like to push the other the the edge and when there there, play with there minds, until one almost falls and the other grabs her to save her life." She laughes and puts her face in her hands. "All my friends hate it when I use metophores. They make me say what I mean immediatly after I finished the metophore."~*  
  
"Thanks, honey," Kelly smiled.  
  
Grace shut her door behind her and Eli. She turned to him and smiled. "So, what do you want to do?"  
  
"I can think of a few things," Eli said. Grace smiled and kissed him softly. When she pulled away Eli laughed. "You want to spy on Kelly don't you."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"Yeah," Grace says.~*  
  
"No," Grace answered, but he broke her when she looked up into his eyes. "Yeah. Is that a sin. I just don't trust Chris." She fell onto her bed and looked up at him. "Sorry."  
  
Eli laughed and knelt in front of her. "It's okay. It's one of the things I love about you."  
  
"That I'm not trusting?"  
  
"No, that you're protective of your friends," he smiled and placed there foreheads together. "I love you."  
  
Grace kissed his nose. "I know."  
  
He let out a chocked laugh. "Still thinking about it?"  
  
"I'm sorry," Grace sighed and backed away from his face. "I just can't get the picture of them naked on the couch out of my head."  
  
"I am never sitting on the couch again," Eli stated.  
  
Grace crossed her legs under her. "Okay, lets change the subject. Kelly and I want to get a hamick."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why not? I never had a hamick. I want one. Kelly used to have one when she lived at home with her parents. Then, when Isabella and she moved in together, Isabella threw the hamick away. And, I'm really gullable to having something I've never had before, so she convinced me."  
  
"Will you have money after getting the cat?" Eli asked.  
  
"I'm buying the kitten," Grace answered. "She's buying the hamick." A knock came at the door. "Yeah?"  
  
Kelly walked in. "He had to go. So, you two can come out."  
  
"Where did her go?" Grace asked.  
  
"Work," Kelly said and crossed her arms with annoyance.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Eli is sitting on the stool. "I don't have a problem with Chris. He's actually a great guy."~*  
  
"Well, work is really important," Grace said and climbed off the bed. "You want to go shopping?"  
  
Kelly smiled. "Get our kitten?"  
  
"Yeah," Grace answered. "E, you coming?"  
  
Eli climbed to his feet. "Sure, why not."  
  
The three got to the pet store not to long later. The ran right to the kittens and cats in the back. Immediatly Grace fell in love with the smallest one there. It was just a baby. It would most likely fit perfectly in her hand. Grace smiled and pointed to it for Kelly. She just gave a happy smile and nodded her head yes.  
  
"Um, can we hold the kitten right there?" Grace asked as she pointed to the kitten.  
  
The sales lady smiled. "Of course." She walked into the room behind the glass, took the kitten from it's cage and then handed it to Grace to hold. "Here you go."  
  
"Is it a girl or boy?" Kelly asked and pet the kittens head.  
  
"A girl," the sales woman answered.  
  
Grace smiled at Kelly. "This is the one we're getting." Grace turned to Eli. "What do you think?"  
  
Eli walked over and pet the kitten's head. "Get her."  
  
Grace turned to the sales woman. "We'll take her."  
  
"Great," she smiled.  
  
When they got home Grace placed the box with the kitten in it on the floor. Eli walked over into the kitchen with the bags of food and toys and placed them on the counter. Grace and Kelly opened the box and took the kitten out. Grace placed it on the floor and let it explore a little bit.  
  
"What should we name her?" Grace asked.  
  
"Lil' Kelly," Kelly smiled.  
  
"Dream on," Grace and Eli said in unison.  
  
Eli said down next to Grace. "Well, what about... I got nothing."  
  
"Dylan!" Grace yelled.  
  
"Guys names for girls, it's cute," Kelly said and picked up the kitten. "So, what do you think? Do you like Dylan?" She smiled over at Grace. "Perfect." 


	19. Chapter 19

PART 19   
  
The band started to play swing music. Jessie shook her hips to the music and smiled over at Heather. She jumped off the chair and did the same as Jessie. They took each other's hands and started to twist and turned around the room. They faced each other, attached only one of their hands together and let the other ones fly free. They kicked their legs past each other then jumped away, Heather falling into Kyle's arms and Jessie into Ralf's. They tossed them foward and they both turned to the guys and started to dance. People moved aside to watch the four of them dance. They each did the dance in unison, each of them having the time of their lives.  
  
Ralf twisted Jessie into him so she was facing the opposite way and then twisted her back out so she leaped into the air and landed back on her feet. They seperated hands and started to snap their fingers to the music. She took his hand again and twisted herself under it. He picked her up and swung her side to side then he grabbed her hand quickly so she would hop down and land right back on her feat.  
  
All around them people clapped and gasped at their moves. When they music ended they did their final twist. Everyone clapped and they all laughed. Jessie wrapped her arms around Ralf's neck and hugged him. She pulled away, smiling at him. He smiled back. The moment was interrupted by Heather who wrapped her arms around both their necks and hugged them.  
  
"That was great!" Johnny yelled when they came back to the table. "That must have taken a lot of practice."  
  
"You have no idea!" Jessie said out of breath.  
  
Heather's cell started ringing and she pressed talk. "Hello?.... No... What?... Hold on, I can't here you over the music.... One sec!" She stood up. "I'll be right back." She walked away holding the phone at her side.  
  
"You might have to teach me that!" Michelle laughed.  
  
"What a rush!" Jessie laughed.  
  
Heather walked over to the table staring at her phone. "Oh my God," she said as she fell into her chair.  
  
"What happened?" Michelle asked.  
  
Heather looked up. "It's Katie. She's been put in a mental hospital. Saint Mary's or something. It's right outside town." She looked at Jessie. She was looking at the table, her eyes scrunched in confusion. "You okay?"  
  
"Why?" Jessie finally asked.  
  
Heather shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
The next day Jessie climbed off the bus and looked up at a horrifying building. Across the top it read: Saint Mary's Institutional Hospital. Jessie balanced her book bag on her shoulder then started up the steps. She walked in and looked around. She walked up to a desk with a smile planted on her face.  
  
"Hi, Jessie Sammler, I'm here to see Katie Singer," she told the woman.  
  
The woman wrote the information on a name tag and handed it to Jessie. "Fourth floor."  
  
"Thank you," Jessie said and walked away.  
  
She got to the elevator and waited for it to come. She looked the name tag over quickly. She hated wearing them. But on the top it read: Pass. So she took the back off it and placed it on the top of her leg on her pants. The elevator finally arrived and she stepped into it. When it arrived at the fourth floor she stepped off and walked over to a window where a man was sitting.  
  
"Hi, um, Katie Singer," she told him.  
  
The man hit a botton and a gate opened up. "Room 413."  
  
Jessie nodded and walked through the gate. She studied doors and found 413 empty. She heard a familiar laugh down the hall so she followed it. She peaked into a large room where a lot of girls were playing around. She looked over to see Katie sitting up side down on a chair and laughing. Jessie sighed and stepped into her sight. She immediatly twisted around and stood up. She looked different. Her hair was shorter, it went to her shoulders. She had no make up on and she was extremely pail. She had a pair of blue jeans on with a big grey sweat shirt on.  
  
"Jessie?" Katie asked. "Hey!"  
  
Jessie smiled sweetly. "Hey, Katie."  
  
"What are you doing here?" Katie asked then laughed. "Stupid question. You're here to see me. Um, come on to my room." She drug her down the hall and when they walked in another girl was sitting on a bed. "Hey, Amy. They found more of Ed's websites." Amy jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. "Sit down."  
  
"Who's Ed?" Jessie asked and remained standing.  
  
"Nobody," Katie answered then made a quick subject change. "So, what's up?"  
  
"I was going to ask you the same thing," Jessie said.  
  
Katie shook her head. "I put myself in here. I think I need help. Look what I did, you know. I drank myself to the point of death. I practically forced you to dump me. I had to get away from the world. When the nurse asked me who I needed to call, I wanted to call you. But, I thought you hated me."  
  
"Okay," Jessie said and looked down at the ground. "This isn't a friendly visit." She shot her head back up. "I just need to know why? Why did you even start drinking in the first place? God, Katie, why did you leave and come back? What is going on?"  
  
"I don't know," Katie said and pushed her hair from her face. She was calm and her voice low. "I guess that's what the therapy is for."  
  
"I guess so," Jessie said in the same tone of voice.  
  
Jessie walked out of the hospital and wripped the name tag off her jeans. She tossed it onto the ground then plopped down onto the steps. She looked down the street to see if any bosses were coming then stood up to cross the street to the right bus stop. She stared across the street at the building. She stared all the way to the top then back down at the front door. The bus pulled up and she shook her head and climbed on.  
  
When she got to a certain stop she sat foward and looked around. She pulled the string signalling the bus driver to let her off. She hoped off the bus then walked back to an appartment building. She rung a bell and waited for an answer.  
  
"Heyla?" Kelly's voice came through the intercome.  
  
"Heyla? What's that?" Jessie laughed.  
  
"Hi, Jessie, come on up!" she said and hit her buzzered.  
  
Jessie walked in and started up the stairs. When she reached the third floor she started down the hall to Grace's appartment. She didn't bother to knock when she walked in. She looked around and saw Kelly standing in the kitchen. She smiled sweetly to see Jessie.  
  
"Hey," Kelly said.  
  
Grace walked out of one of the rooms with a smile. "Hey, Jessie. How's Katie doing?"  
  
"She checked herself in," Jessie informed her. "I don't know. I'm glad she did. She could use the help."  
  
Grace shrugged then looked at Kelly. "Did you feed Dylan?"  
  
"No, you were supposed to," Kelly answered.  
  
Grace rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Kelly! You know you were supposed to." Kelly sighed and stomped her foot. "Feed her now!"  
  
"You feed her!" Kelly snapped.  
  
"I fed her yesterday!"  
  
"No, I fed her yesterday."  
  
Grace stomped her foot. "You go to the hamick!"  
  
Kelly jumped back in shock and pointed her finger toward Grace. "Using the hamick as a punishment. Uh uh, not cool."  
  
"Go!" Grace said. Kelly stomped her feet over to the hamick and climbed in. Grace shook her head and looked at Jessie. "See what I put up with." She walked over to the ktichen and pulled out some cat food for Dylan. "Anyways, Katie'll be fine. You just need to concentrate on you know. Heather told me you and Ralf are getting really close. Something about swing dancing."  
  
Jessie laughed. "We always go to this great swing club. You should come with us sometime. You can see my skills."  
  
"Swing?" Kelly asked to herself.  
  
"Hey, you over there, who said you can talk?" Grace said then turned back to Jessie. "I didn't know you could swing. I've always found the music great and the moves cool. Heather's parents taught her family right."  
  
"Yeah," Jessie answered as she took her coat off and walked over to the kitchen. She put the coat on the counter and leaned herself against it. "They taught all of us. It's so much fun. You and Kelly should totally come. Unless... you don't want to hang out with a couple high schoolers with their two college friends."  
  
"When and where?" Grace gave a pretend cocky grin.  
  
Jessie smiled. "Tomorrow night. Meet us at the Shop at six o'clock. Get ready to have the funnest time of your life."  
  
"What to wear? What to wear?" Grace asked. She checked her watch. "Okay, Kelly. Time's up." Kelly climbed out of the hamick. "Feed the Dylan. Jessie, help me find something to wear. You've been there so many times you know the style."  
  
"Something you can move in," Jessie smiled and pushed herself off the counter. "You should see what I'm going to wear!"  
  
The next night Grace and Kelly pulled up in front of the Shop to see Jessie and her friends inside. They were all dancing to music that was unheard from the outside. The two walked in and were met by the sound of loud jazz music. Jessie smiled when she saw them. Grace looked her over and almost fell back. She was wearing a black dress that fell loose by the waiste and flowed to her knees and the straps were thin. She had her hair down and straightened with a light coating of make up on.  
  
"Whoa, chica," Kelly smiled as she looked Jessie over. Jessie giggled. "You look so cute."  
  
"Thank you," Jessie smiled. "Okay, enough small talk. Can we please go now?"  
  
They got to the swing club not to long later. They found a table and sat down. Not a minute later Jessie grabbed Grace's hand and took her to the dance floor. She stood in front of her and took a few steps back. Then the attached their hands and showed her some simple steps. Grace tried and when she messed up she laughed.  
  
"You and Ralf gotta show me," Grace told her.  
  
Jessie laughed. "Alright. But then you try again!" She and Grace walked back to Ralf. "Hey, come on. We have to show her how we do things."  
  
"Okay," Ralf said and they walked onto the dance floor.  
  
Jessie took his hands into her's and they started to feel the music out. Then when the sound of drums came into the music they started to go. Ralf twisted her under his arm and she leaped into the air then landed on her feet then immediatly went into another twist. They let go of each others hands and and Jessie did a solo dance. She kicked her legs a few times and waved her hands. She waved one toward Ralf and he grabbed it and twisted her into him. She backed of him and seperated their hands. He quickly bent down slightly and she twisted over his back. She got her feet back on the ground and Ralf took her hand. They both did a turn and then the music stopped. Jessie and Ralf both laughed laughed and walked back over to the table.  
  
"Oh my God," Grace smiled. "That was great."  
  
"And so much fun," Jessie said as she caught her breath. "You wanna try it again?"  
  
"I think I'm going to take a break," Grace smiled.  
  
"You don't know what you're missing," Jessie said and took a sip of water. "It's a rush. All the twists and all. We even have a routine. We do it in..." Jessie looked at her watch. "In an hour. Stay and you can watch."  
  
"Sure," Grace said.  
  
Kelly looked at her watch. "I have to go though. Chris is coming over."  
  
"Oh, okay," Grace said. "Do me a favor and tell Eli I'll be late getting to his place."  
  
Kelly nodded. "Sure!" She kissed Grace on the cheek. "See ya at home."  
  
"Bye!" everyone called after her.  
  
Jessie turned back to Grace. "His place?"  
  
"I so forgot you were sitting there!" Grace laughed.  
  
"Okay, wow, you guys spend nights at each other's houses," Jessie said with a huge smile. "That clears up a lot."  
  
"I'll be right back," Grace said and walked over to the bathroom.  
  
Five minutes later she walked out of the bathroom and realized Jessie and her friends were up dancing. She smiled when she saw Jessie and Ralf dancing and smiling. Grace leaned against the wall and watched them. It wasn't anything big. They did little turns and also bopped their hips. But, Grace could see there was attraction between them.  
  
About an hour had passed and the lead in thew band started up a song. "Okay, laties and gentalmen! We see them ALMOST every night! Get ready for their moves and their shakes. Come on Jessie and Heather! Get it started!"  
  
The band started to play swing music. Jessie shook her hips to the music and smiled over at Heather. She jumped off the chair and did the same as Jessie. They took each other's hands and started to twist and turned around the room. They faced each other, attached only one of their hands together and let the other ones fly free. They kicked their legs past each other then jumped away, Heather falling into Kyle's arms and Jessie into Ralf's. They tossed them foward and they both turned to the guys and started to dance.  
  
Ralf twisted Jessie into him so she was facing the opposite way and then twisted her back out so she leaped into the air and landed back on her feet. They seperated hands and started to snap their fingers to the music. She took his hand again and twisted herself under it. He picked her up and swung her side to side thn he grabbed her hand quickly so she would hop down and land right back on her feat.  
  
All around them people clapped and gasped at their moves. When they music ended they did their final twist. Everyone clapped and they all laughed. Jessie wrapped her arms around Ralf's neck and hugged him. She pulled away, smiling at him. He smiled back. The moment was interrupted by Heather who wrapped her arms around both their necks and hugged them. 


	20. Chapter 20

PART 20   
  
Grace unlocked Eli's door then walked in. She yawned and plopped onto the couch. She took her shoes off and moaned. Her feet were killing her. She climbed to her feet and walked into Eli's room. He was sound asleep on his bed. She smiled. Then she walked over to his dresser and pulled out a shirt she could sleep in. After taking of her dress she shoved the shirt on. When she was finished, Eli rolled over and looked up at her.  
  
"Hey," he said and pushed himself onto his elbows. "What time is it?"  
  
"Late," she told him.  
  
She climbed into the bed and started to climb up to him. She moved over his legs then his stomach and then she finally reached his lips and she kissed him hard. He fell off his elbows and she crawled further up so their faces were lined perfectly with the other. She pulled herself away from him and sat beside him.  
  
"I have class in the morning," she told him. "Is your alarm set?"  
  
Eli check the clock beside his bed. "Yeah."  
  
"Good," Grace smiled and kissed him softly.  
  
"How was the night out with Jessie?"  
  
"Your little sister and I have become really good friends. And your little sister has become a really good swing dancer. You would be amazed. I sure was. But, must say, the girls got moves."  
  
"And what's going on with Ralf and her?" Eli asked with a bit of big brother protectiveness.  
  
Grace laughed. "I knew you were going to ask that. Must be slipping into big brother mode. What next? Are you going to threaten to beat him up if he hurts your little sister."  
  
"Maybe I will," Eli joked.  
  
He leaned up and tickled Grace's sides making her fall back and start laughing really hard. He climbed to his knees so that he was leaning over her. She tried to push him away but he continued. Then she had the perfect idea to get him to stop. She leaned up and kissed him. When he stopped tickling her she rolled away from him and off the bed, smiling at him.  
  
"I win!" Grace cheered.  
  
Eli jumped off the bed and chased her. She ran into the living room, around the couch twice and then she jumped onto it, curling in the corner and holding her arms out to block him. He took both her hands into is then leaned in to kiss her. She felt his tongue move across her lips and she let it in acceptingly. She felt herself sliding down into the couch and him crawling onto her.  
  
"Hold on," Grace said, sitting back up. "I love you but I'm not ready for... that."  
  
"I know," Eli smiled. "I wasn't going to do... that."  
  
Grace smiled and kissed him quickly on his lips. "I just don't want to get pregnant and have to quit school."  
  
"I know," Eli said and sat down beside her.  
  
She turned toward him and hugged her knees. "I know you know. That was just a reminder."  
  
The next day Grace arrived at school right on time. She ran in through the doors, up the stairs and toward her writing class. On her way, her friends waved to her and some joked with her telling her to run. When she arrived at class the professer was about to shut the door.  
  
"Ms. Manning," he smiled. "Welcome. Take your seat." Grace smiled then ran to sit down next to Kelly. "Okay, lets get started. Please pass up your papers."  
  
Grace took it out and passed the paper up. "How'd it go with Chris?" she asked Kelly.  
  
"Great!" Kelly smiled. "Thanks for going over Eli's last night. Chris and I needed some time alone."  
  
Professer Addison placed the papers on the papers in her brief case. "I have no lesson plan for today. So, let's just go around to see what we want to talk about. Anybody know of anything that interrests them."  
  
"A lesson plan," a boy joked.  
  
Another girl raised her hand. "I've always loved Romeo and Juliet."  
  
"I am so sick of that book," Kelly yelled.  
  
"Play," Grace corrected her. Then she raised her hand. "S.E. Hinton. She wrote many great books when she was younger then us. She was only sixteen years old when she wrote the unforgetable book The Outsiders. I think she's a great topic to talk about."  
  
"I love her books," a boy behind her said. "I think that even if you're male or female you can relate to what she saying."  
  
Professer Addison smiled. "I have a topic. Who can you relate to in any book or movie or television show? If you know who you relate to, it means that this relation comes up in whatever you're writing. Say you're writing a book. You are the main character. Your feelings are your characters."  
  
"Like, if you're upset or something, some people write a poem about their feelings," Kelly leaned foward. "They put their frustrations or whatever their emotion into the piece and this poem explains what they were feeling at the time the wrote it."  
  
"Correct, Miss Collens," Professer Addison said. "Has anyone in here ever done this?" Many people gave nods and said yes to the question. "Does this help you to become calm?" The same reaction came from the class. "Because you have just gotten all of your emotions onto a piece of paper and out of you."  
  
After class Grace walked up to the professer. "You didn't forget your lesson plan did you."  
  
Professer Addison sat at his desk and smiled up at her. "What gives you that idea?"  
  
"Your plan was to get the class interacting with each other," Grace said. Kelly walked up beside her. "Wasn't it? You thought that sense we were in the same class we must have something in comman. You did have a lesson plan."  
  
"You have a gift, Miss Manning," Professer Addison smiled. "You just proved to me you see things that the rest of your class doesn't. You saw right through me."  
  
"It's a skill as well," Grace smiled. "Bye, Professer Addison." Grace walked out of the class and Kelly ran to her side. "I wish every class was like that!"  
  
"Me to," Kelly laughed.  
  
Grace walked into her Sammler/Manning house and looked around. "Mom! Rick! Anybody home?" she yelled. When no one answered she walked into the kitchen to get a bottle of water.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~"The one time I'm home and they're no where to be found," Grace smiles and shakes her head.~*  
  
She walked into the back yard and toward the garage. She heard music coming from inside and knew Jessie was there. So, she pushed the door open slightly and peeked in. Jessie had a paint brush in her hand and she was painted a part of a wall. Grace laughed and opened the door all the way. Jessie didn't hear her walk in, but instead she kept dancing to the swing music that came from the radio. Then Grace walked over and pressed the stop botton. Jessie turned around quickly.  
  
"Hey!" she smiled. "Sorry, didn't hear ya come in."  
  
"It's okay," Grace said. "It looks great in here."  
  
"Thanks," Jessie said and tossed the brush onto the floor. "I'm almost done, thank God. I haven't really gotten any help from anybody." She looked around then back at Grace. "You up to it?"  
  
Grace put the music back on. "Let's do this."  
  
Jessie smiled and picked her brush up and tossed one to Grace. Both dipped it into the paint and started on the wall. Jessie even filled her in on dancing tips. But the conversation went in many derections. They even talked about their relationships. Jessie stopped painting and turned to her stepsister at this point of the conversation.  
  
"Ralf asked me out," she told her.  
  
Grace stopped as well and turned her head. "Really? You said yes, right."  
  
Jessie looked down. "Not exactly."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie shakes her head. "My answer: Uh, um , I, um..."~*  
  
"Walk me through it," Grace said and tossed the brush down.  
  
"Okay," Jessie said and sat on the floor. Grace did the same. "We were on the phone last night and...."  
  
"I hate this color," Jessie said into the mouth piece.  
  
"Then don't use it," Ralf joked.  
  
"Ha ha," she said sarcastically. She picked up a green nail polish and started painting her toe nails. She balanced the phone between her shoulder and her ear. "You are just to funny."  
  
"Go out with me," Ralf said suddenly.  
  
Jessie almost dropped the phone. "Huh?" she said, stopped painting her nails, and held the phone in her hand. "What, um, uh, I, um..."  
  
"Glad we had this conversation," Ralf laughed.  
  
"What was I supposed to say?" Jessie asked realizing Grace's stares.  
  
"Not um," Grace told her. "Try, 'Sounds great', or 'That would be fun' or hears one that might be a little tricky, 'Yes.' Come on, Jess. That's what you were thinking."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Jessie sighed.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie smiles embarrassingly. "I wanted to say yes and kiss him. Which was pretty difficult to do sense we were on the phone. I think 'UM' was the best sollution to that problem."~*  
  
Grace checked her watch. "I have to go home. You going to be okay here?"  
  
"No, I might die," Jessie joked.  
  
"Yeah, your right," Grace joked to. She stood up and looked down at her. "Stay away from sharp objects, heavy things that fall, and make sure to keep a window open." She began to walk out. "Oh and, watch for buses when crossing the street."  
  
"Thanks for caring!" Jessie called before Grace shut the door.  
  
"Call Ralf!" Grace yelled then shut the door. After she shut the door she paused and smiled to herself. She started back to the house for her coat. When she walked in she saw Judy and Lilly sitting at the island. "Oh, hey."  
  
"Gracie," Lilly smiled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Leaving," Grace told her. "Sorry. Me and Jessie have been painting like all day. Okay not ALL day. Sense I got out of school. I have to get home. Chris is coming over and I do not want him to touch anything of mine. Last time he ate my whole cheese cake."  
  
"Who's Chris?" Judy asked.  
  
Grace grabbed an apple from the counter. "Kelly's boyfriend. He's twenty-nine with a bad attitude. Half his attitude is that he thinks everything is his. EVEN MY CHEESE CAKE!" She looked at her watch. "I have to go! Bye, mom. Bye, Judy. Love ya!" She ran out the door then walked back in to grab her coat.  
  
When she got home she saw Chris coat on the couch. She shook her head and let out a sigh. She walked into her bedroom to get changed then back into the living room. She walked over to Kelly's room and gave the door a tap.  
  
"I'm home!" she yelled then walked away. She saw Dylan on the counter and she picked her up gently. "Hey, honey. Miss me?" She walked over to the hamick and lay down. "I had a good day. School was fun and I bonded with Aunt Jessie." She laughed. "Wow, I sound like a mom. Aunt Jessie..." She looked at Dylan. "Aunt? I wonder if my kids will call her Aunt Jessie."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace looks at the camera. "They just might have to if I marry Eli. But IF I don't. I want them to."~*  
  
Grace looked over at Kelly's door. She looked at Dylan. "I'm not alone on this one right. You hate him to." She kissed her head. "Good. Just to get that clear." Dylan lay against her chest and closed her eyes.  
  
An hour passed and Grace had fallen asleep on the hamick. Kelly walked out of her room and smiled at the sight of Grace and Dylan on the hamick. She pushed the hair from her face then walked over. She gave her a little bump making her open her eyes and look up.  
  
"Hey," Kelly said. "Scoot over." Grace did as told and Kelly laid next to her.  
  
"Hey," Grace smiled.  
  
Kelly pet Dylan. "Let's not wake the baby."  
  
Grace laughed. "I'll try."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace sighs. "I like living here. Don't ever let me tell you different. It's certain moments with your best friend that makes things worth it."~*  
  
(THINK OF IT AS A CAMERA GOING INTO A WIDER VIEW. lIKE IT'S MOVING BACK.)  
  
The two girls laughed trying to keep it quiet. They would shush each other but the continued laughing. 


	21. Chapter 21

PART 21   
  
Jessie laughed as she looked down at Grace's text book. Grace looked over at her stepsister as she lay in the hamick. She knew exactly what Jessie was thinking about. It was obvious. In the text book she was looking through it had millions of formulas and numbers that were impossible to multiply if you didn't have a science calculator.  
  
"Oh my God," Jessie laughed.  
  
Kelly walked out of her room. "Calm down, Jess, it's math not sex," she said. Jessie looked up as she passed and smiled.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Jessie shakes her head. "Kelly is so... I can't even give her a word. She's rude, sarcastic, and incredibly funny."~*  
  
Grace smiled, shaking her head. "When's Chris coming by?"  
  
"Oh, we broke up," Kelly informed her. "Thought I told you. Yeah, his girlfriend from college came into town and they had sex. So, I ditched the freak and slept with his younger brother. That should make him feel sad for a while."  
  
Grace shrugged. "Cool."  
  
Jessie looked confused. She shut the book and leaned foward. "Wait a second. You slept with his brother because he slept with his x. A little harsh don't ya think?"  
  
"No," Grace and Kelly said in unison.  
  
"Poor Eli," Jessie joked.  
  
Grace smiled and tried the spagetti sauce. "But, Timmy. I mean, you could have slept with Collen. At least his name doesn't make him sound like he should be wearing a perpeller on his hat." The other two girls giggled. "Dinner is served."  
  
The three girls got their spagetti and sat down at the table. The night was young and the three of them were having the time of their lives. None of them had plans to attend to. So, they were there to have a girls night. Talk boys, fun and beauty tips? You would think. But mostly they made jokes about each other's sex lives.  
  
"Okay... I'm dying to know," Jessie smiled. "Grace? Have you and Eli ever... ya know... have sex?"  
  
Kelly chocked on her soda. "Please, Jess. All they do is sleep over each other's houses and talk. They closest them two have come to sex is making out."  
  
"I'm sorry," Grace said to Kelly, "I just don't want to get pregnant while I'm still in school."  
  
"Protection!" Kelly said.  
  
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Those things only work 97 percent of the time though."  
  
"98 if you're lucky," Grace added.  
  
"I'm not pregnant," Kelly shrugged.  
  
Grace and Jessie looked at each other. "That's good."  
  
"But," Kelly said then swallowed the spagetti, "I do want a baby. Every girl does. But, I don't want to be pregnant. No girl does. I mean, labor hurts. My friend had a baby in high school and she never looked at her mother the same way again... she wasn't angry... They became best friends."  
  
"Ouch," Jessie and Grace said in unison.  
  
Kelly smiled and took a sip of soda from her glass. "Yeah, but the baby was so adorable."  
  
The phone rang and Grace went to the kitchen counter to pick it up. "Grace speaking... Hey, Chris..." she looked over at Kelly who smirked. "She's right here."  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Grace laughs. "I know what this is about."~*  
  
Kelly took the phone. "Chris? What do you want?... Yeah, I did... Why do you want to know? You want to know if he was good?... well, lets just say, baby bro has some moves." Jessie and Grace smiled and tried not to laugh. "Listen, honey, send Rachel my love." She slammed the phone down and smiled at her friends. "Don't you love it?"  
  
After dinner the three girls watched a movie and they all fell asleep on the couch. The next morning Eli walked in to see the scene and a light smile developed on his face. He walked over to Grace who was laying on the floor. He sat next to her and kissed her cheek sweetly. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at Eli.  
  
"Sorry," he whispered. "I couldn't help it."  
  
Grace sat up slowly. "Guess what?" she whispered and looked toward the other two girl. "Kelly and Chris broke up."  
  
"Really?" Eli looked toward Kelly. "Bout time." He noticed his sister curled up on the couch. "What did you two do to her?"  
  
Grace looked at Jessie then back at Eli. "Lets not talk about that. What did you do last night?"  
  
"Went to a bar, got a few numbers, even had a one night stand with a girl named Trixzy," Eli joked.  
  
Grace leaned her forehead against his. "Oh did you?"  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"Well then, we have some major problems. Because I slept with a guy named Chuck."  
  
"Call it even?"  
  
"Okay," Grace smiled and kissed him sweetly.  
  
Eli pulled away for a second. "Should we wake them."  
  
"In a few minutes," Grace said and kissed him again.  
  
Kelly's eyes fluttered open and she smiled at the site in front of her. "Don't throw it in my face."  
  
The two pulled apart and looked up at her. "Morning," they said in unison.  
  
Jessie woke up. "Mom!" she yelled. The three other's jumped at the out burst. She smiled sweetly. "Hi guys."  
  
"Hi, Jessie," they said in unison.  
  
"Dreaming about mom?" Eli asked.  
  
Jessie froze. "Uh... sure."  
  
"So, Ralf just happens to appear?" Kelly asked, remembering Jessie talking in her sleep the night before.  
  
"Busted," Grace and Kelly laughed together. 


	22. Chapter 22

To Shanelover10: Hey! Thanks for reveiwing. What I meant was the she climbed over him and then kissed him.  
  
TO EVERYONE: Finally I am thanking for everyones reviews!  
  
PART 22   
  
Zoe shook her head at something Jessie had just told her and Sunny. "No way."  
  
"It's like a legend or something," Jessie said.  
  
"It's so not a legend because it's so not true," Sunny told her.  
  
Zoe put a book in her back pack and looked around the kitchen. "We need proof."  
  
"Proof for what?" Rick asked as he and Lilly walked in.  
  
The girls ignored their presense and Jessie continued. "It's a science girls. Every guy keeps a condom in their wallet."  
  
"JESSIE!" Lilly and Rick yelled.  
  
Jessie jumped back. "What?" she rolled her eyes. She turned back to the to freshman. "Okay, try this one. Ever wonder why guys are always reasy for sex-"  
  
"JESSIE!" the parents yelled again.  
  
Lilly sighed. "Jessie, they are to young to be hearing about sex and condoms. They're not going to be... doing anything any time soon."  
  
"Speak for yourself," Zoe whispered to Sunny. Sunny giggled.  
  
Kyle walked in the back door with a smile. "Morning, Teletubies... Sunny."  
  
"Morning," everyone said to him.  
  
"Fine, you want proof,"Jessie walked over to Kyle and grabbed his wallet from his pocket. She looked through it and smiled when she pulled out a tiny package. "Subject A. Condom."  
  
Zoe walked past Rick. "Fine... more proof," she held up Rick's wallet.  
  
Rick checked his back pocket. "Zoe, how did you-"  
  
"Okay," Zoe ignored him as she looked through the wallet. "Rick bringing in the big bucks." She closed the wallet and smiled. "Subject B. No condom."  
  
"He's married," Jessie told her. "If he was carrying a condom I would be worried."  
  
"So, not every guy carries one," Sunny crossed her arms.  
  
"Special circumstances," Jessie told her. She looked at her watch. "Oh, we got to go." She grabbed her book bag. "Hurry it up you two."  
  
Zoe and Sunny grabbed their book bags and ran out the door. They went to Kyle's jeep and climbed into the back. Jessie grabbed Kyle's arm and held her hand out. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. She grabbed the keys, even though he wouldn't let go, and tugged for them. She twisted his arm and he let go. She smiled and climbed into the drivers side. He climbed into the other side and crossed his arms.  
  
They arrived at their school not to long later and ran in. Zoe and Sunny stopped at their lockers, which were right next to each other and started to get ready. Zoe stared off in the distance as she waited for her friend to finish and realized some boys watching Sunny and her. She turned toward Sunny.  
  
"Lucky us," she whispered.  
  
Sunny looked down the hallway and smiled at the boys. "Who would have guessed two freshman could be so popular?"  
  
"Popular?" a junior walked over to them. "Please. You two would wish."  
  
Sunny shut her locker. "Hey, Bessy, how's your boyfriend... Oh wait, you don't have one anymore. Why's that?"  
  
"Because he would rather have me," Zoe answered.  
  
"He was drunk!" Bessy yelled.  
  
"You would wish," Zoe smiled. "Ready Sunny?"  
  
Sunny tossed her bag over her shoulder. "Bye, Bes."  
  
They walked away with smiles on their faces. When they got to the guys they stopped and started to flirt. Bessy leaned against the locker and shook her head. The two were popular. They were great cheerleaders and both were beautiful. It would be strange if they weren't popular. All guys wanted them. And all girls were jealous.  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Zoe smiles. "Popularity is something everybody wants. But it's weird. One popular person likes you and it's like you're in... for good."~*  
  
They got to class and Zoe sat in the front next to Alex. Sunny went to the back to talk to a few other friends. All Zoe could do was stare at Alex. They were in an argument that had been going on forever. Zoe leaned over.  
  
"Hey," she whispered.  
  
Alex looked over. "Yo."  
  
"Um, Sunny is having a party, are you coming?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Why are you talking to me? What happened to the whole popular thing?"  
  
"You know that I can talk to whoever I want."  
  
"That's not what you said when you became popular. Cheerleaders and me don't exactly mix."  
  
"Cheerleaders and freaks do? One of my best friends is Tatu Henderson!"  
  
"Lets just say I'm still not over it," Alex shot her an angry look.  
  
Zoe held her hands up. "Fine. Do what you want!" She stood up. "Tatu! What's up?" She walked to the back and sat down. Tatu glanced at Alex. "Still pissed at me. It happened like months ago."  
  
"This is high school, sometimes you need to move on," Tatu said.  
  
The teacher walked in and Sunny leaped in the seat behind Zoe before he saw. "Okay, kids. Lets get started."  
  
A girl raised her hand. "Sir, you shouldn't call us kids. It makes us sound like babies. It makes us sound as if we never grew up. I would appriciate it if you called us young adults or something that doesn't mnake us sound like we're four years old."  
  
"Geek!" a boy yelled.  
  
"Shut it, Henry!" Zoe yelled.  
  
"Make me," Henry said.  
  
Zoe laughed. "What are YOU four?"  
  
Everyone laughed at him. The girl who had said those things smiled at Zoe and turned back to the front. After class Zoe started out the door but the girl grabbed her back in. Zoe looked at her with a shocked face.  
  
"Thanks," the girl said, then walked out of the room.  
  
Zoe watched then shrugged. She walked into the hallway and started toward her next class. She saw Kevin Benna, Tatu's older brother, in a classroom and she smiled. They were half siblings. Fathers were different. Tatu walked up beside her and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Out of all guys who want you, you choose Kevin," Tatu said.  
  
"Shut up," Zoe said and continued down the hall with Tatu by her side.  
  
Tatu Henderson was a freak. This day she was wearing a black leather skirt with wripped fish-net stockings. Her black tank top stopped to show her belly ring. She wore tons of braceletts up her arms and her hands were covered in rings. Her face full of black make up and her hair was also a thick black color. But, Zoe was still her best friend, which made her accepted. Why wouldn't she be?  
  
After school, Sunny and Zoe sat on the hood of Kyle's jeep and waited for Jessie and him to come. They looked around the parking lot. Sunny moaned and lay back. Zoe did the same. The two were always late. They stared at the sky and watched the clouds.  
  
"See ya, Michelle!" Jessie and Kyle yelled.  
  
The two girls sat up with smiles. "About time!"  
  
*~B&W~*  
  
*~Zoe shakes her head. "I hate waiting. It's so annoying."~* 


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: This begins at the end of the year because I stopped writing at Chapter 23 a long time ago. Now I am going to write about before the summer. Jessie is graduating. Grace is packing for Europe! And everything else seems to go normal. Anyways, Chapter 24 will be after the summer. Sorry this took so long. I lost all the Chapters I had done because my disk messed up and I had to delete it.  
  
NEW: Black and White is now *~NAME~*  
  
PART 23  
  
Jessie smiled at herself in her cap and gown in the girl's bathroom mirror. She looked over at Michelle who was putting on her make up with a frown. Jessie knew why she was upset. But there was nothing to worry about. They were best friends. Nothing could tear them apart. No matter where everyone went to college.  
  
"Girls!" Mrs. White yelled into the bathroom. "Time to graduate."  
  
Michelle smiled over at Jessie. "Nervous?"  
  
"Not at all," Jessie lied.  
  
Before going down the isle, Kyle stood next to Jessie in the boys line. He saw she was trying to breathe calmly. He took her hand into his. Surprised by this, Jessie looked down at their hands. She was surprised that they fit perfectly together. Then her eyes moved up and she smiled at Kyle. Then the music started and they quickly let go.  
  
Rick and Karen took so many pictures that day. While getting her diploma she did everything the way she was supposed to. Kyle, who came behind her grabbed her hand and spun her around twice before flipping offstage. Jessie giggled and pushed him. At the end, they waited for the words...  
  
"I present to you the Class of 2003!" the principal announced.  
  
Everyone screamed as they tossed their hats up into the air.  
  
Afterwards Jessie and all of her friends shared hugs. Then she saw her whole family waiting for her. She ran over and leaped into her dad's arms. Then when she let go of him she hugged her mother. Moving down the line with Lily, Eli, Grace and Zoe. They were so happy for her. Their smiles were huge with delight.  
  
While hugging Zoe, Jessie noticed Ralf watching from far away. After telling her loving family she'd be right back she walked over to him, while taking off her robe, but left on her hat. Then she quickly hugged him.  
  
*~JESSIE~*  
  
*~ "I didn't think he'd come." ~*  
  
She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Have you been here the whole time?"  
  
"Yeah," Ralf nodded.  
  
"Well, we're having a party for all of us," Jessie told him. "Kyle's and Michelle's families are coming to our house. You can come. Heather and Johnny will be there of course. It can be for you to. You graduate in two days."  
  
Ralf sighed. "I'm leaving. I got my diploma early. So, I've decided to go find Rainbow, see if I have a pace with her."  
  
"You're leaving?" Jessie asked in confusion. "Does Heather and Sunny know?"  
  
"No," he told her. Then he let out a huge sigh. "I should go. Congradulations, Jessie. You deserved it. But I have to find Sunny and say goodbye. She'd get mad if I didn't tell her. And I hate her mad at me."  
  
Jessie watched him walk away. He climbed into a beat up car and drove off down the road. Then she turned to see Michelle and Kyle watching as well. She let out a breath she had no idea she was even holding.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
After a night filled with partying for the new graduates, Grace went home with Eli at toe. That night she finished packing for her trip to Europe. She was so excited and couldn't believe she was going. She noticed Eli watching sadly.  
  
"It's only three months," she told him and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I promise I'll come back."  
  
*~ELI~*  
  
*~ "I can't believe she'll be gone for that long." ~*  
  
"I just hope that when I get back everything's the same," she told him.  
  
Kelly ran into the room and hugged Grace from behind, wrapping her arms around her kneck. Grace smiled andheld onto Kelly's arms. Then Kelly finally let go and sat on the bed next to Eli. Another person who didn't want her to go.  
  
"I hate Europe!" Kelly tried to talk her out of it. "I mean, I hear they're mean people."  
  
Grace smiled. "You said when I told you you wished you could go."  
  
"Well, I'm lying, stay home," Kelly smiled sweetly.  
  
"I have to go," Grace told her and Eli. "It's something I have to do."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Sunny ran to Heather right away. She told her everything Ralf said to her. Heather couldn't believe her younger brother would just run off like that. He never came to tell her. So, she made up a decision that could change her own life. One she couldn't believe she made. She spotted all of her friends in Jessie's living room.  
  
"Hey," she said and stayed standing. "You all hear about Ralf?"  
  
Jessie sighed. "He told me, I told them. I didn't know how to tell you."  
  
"I'm going after him," Heather sighed. Everyone looked surprised. "I can't let Ralf find Rainbow. She's destroyed. I can't let her pull him into that."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zoe stared at Zunny's sad face. Then she looked over at Alex who didn;t know how to react. Sunny looked at both of them in her thoughts. Ralf left. He just left. What could little Sunflower do while Heather ran after him?  
  
"I want to go with," Sunny sighed. "But, Heather will never let me. Mom and dad will."  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "Go with?" ~*  
  
"Go," Alex said and Zoe wanted to hit him.  
  
Sunny looked at him. "What?"  
  
"Just go," Alex said. "Hide in her car and wait until you are to far away for her to turn back. Then show yourself. She can't refuse then."  
  
Sunny smiled. "You're right! I'm going."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Grace stared at her ticket. Then she looked at Lily who looked as if she would start crying as soon as Grace stepped onto that plane. She hugged her mother, with complete happiness. Then her phone started to ring so they seperated. She hit the talk button and placed it to her ear.  
  
"Hello?" she smiled.  
  
"Hey!" a cheerful voice came through the phone.  
  
Grace giggled. "Buddy, I'm about to get onto the plain."  
  
"Have fun," Buddy said. "That's all I wanted to say."  
  
Once Grace hung up she hugged her father goodbye. Then she hugged Zoe, spinning her around. Then she hugged Eli and then Jessie then Kelly then Rick. She walked away happily. But before handing in her ticket she looked back on more time at her family. Then she disappeared in the hallway.  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "I'm going to Europe!" ~*  
  
***************************  
  
A/N: I think Jessie is 2003. Correct me if I'm wrong. 


	24. Chapter 24

Title: Change of Pace  
  
Author: Siddalee.............. I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own once and again or any of the characters and if I did it would still be on the air and Eli and Grace would be together.  
  
Comments: This was my first posted Once and Again fan fic. I think I owe it to this story to finish it. Feedback wanted! And, I decided to change the whole thing and start at Chapter 23.  
  
Summery: This is about everyone really. Lilly had twins, a girl and boy. This has, Jessie and Katie, with new guys and girls. This has, Grace and Eli. This has Zoe and new characters. And Rick and Lilly of course. And even Karen and Henry. Even some Tiffany and Jake... Oh, and this is mostly E/G. I don't want you to think I'm obsessed with them so I put them in every chapter. Oh, wait, I am obsessed with them so i put them in every chapter.  
  
A/N: I went back and read this whole fic to get back into where I left off, get to know my characters again, and just to see how good I was (just kidding). I ex-ed a few people. This takes place one year after the last event.  
  
A/N: Start of the "new season".  
  
*~ Previously on Once and Again...  
  
Jessie's class tossing their hats into the air and in the back : I present to you Class of 2003!  
  
RALF: I'm leaving. I got my diploma early.  
  
GRACE: I'm going to Europe!  
  
GRACE: I just hope everything's the same when I get back.  
  
Jessie and Kyle holding hands.  
  
JESSIE(to Ralf): Does Sunny and Heather Know?  
  
HEATHER: I'm going after Ralf.  
  
SUNNY(to Zoe and Alex): I want to go with. But, Heather will never let me.  
  
ALEX: Just go.  
  
GRACE (On Phone): Buddy, I'm about to get onto the plain.  
  
BUDDY: Have fun. Remember what I told you. ~*  
  
PART 24  
  
THREE MONTHS LATER  
  
Lily raced around the house with a huge smile on her face. She wrote on a sign the name: Grace, as if her daughter would recognize the huge family. Rick laughed at her. But she ignored him, not letting anything get to her happiness. Eli walked in the back door with a smile and Lily took this as the sign to go.  
  
"ZOE! JESSIE!" she yelled upstairs.  
  
Jessie ran downstairs first, followed by Zoe at toe. At the end of the stairs Jessie froze and Zoe bumped into her. They stumbled but Jessie caught her balance. Everyone stared at them before they grabbed whatever they needed and raced out of the house.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Grace looked under her at the ground. She yawned and looked at the sleeping person next to her. She smiled at her friend. Figures that Sarah Ferris would fall asleep once they got into the United States. Grace shook her and Sarh woke up quickly.  
  
"We're here," Grace told her.  
  
Sarah sighed. "Oh, goody." She cheered up. "We could always turn back around. I paid for a round trip the first time and then call back when we got there and got the tickets to be another round trip. Do you know what I mean?" She took out two tickets. "Neither of us wanted to leave. We have another chance."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "Go back? That's what I though I was doing." ~*  
  
Grace took a ticket and looked at the date. "Two weeks?"  
  
"Yeah, visit, then leave," Sarah said.  
  
Grace sighed. "I'll think about it."  
  
"That's what's great about you," Sarah smiled. "I know you will."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
There they stood. All of them in a line. Grace waved goodbye to Sarah before walking over to the smiling family. Lily held a sign that had her name on it. This should make her laugh... but it didn't. Where was Jake? Where was her father? She hugged everyone carefully, as if she would break them.  
  
"Welcome home," Lily smiled and grabbed her, hugging her tightly.  
  
Grace stared out the window at the plane she just got off. "Thanks."  
  
"And I'm sorry about the living situation," she said as she let her go. "Kelly got married, as you know, and she lives with him. You can stay with us until you get back onto your feet."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "Oh boy. I can't wait." ~*  
  
Grace sighed and in the same lame tone said, "Great."  
  
"Lets get your bags," Lily didn't notice.  
  
"Grace!" Jake yelled and ran toward them. She turned to see him. When he reached them he hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry I'm late. Welcome home."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
At "home" Grace unpacked her belongings into her old room. She sighed as she remembered all of her teenage years in that room. She never wanted to come back into this house to live again. But she had to. Because Kelly got married and kicked her out.  
  
As she unpacked she noticed a picture of her big family and the smaller one sitting on the side table. One had just Jake, Lily, Grace and Zoe. They seemed so happy. Then once they got a divorce it turned into the bigger family: Rick, Jessie, Eli, Lily, Zoe and Grace. How life had changed sense those pictures were taken.  
  
Jessie appeared in the doorway and she stared at her stepsister carefully. Then she tapped on the open door lightly. Grace turned around suddenly to face her. They shared a silent moment before Jessie spoke up.  
  
"So was it how you dreamed?" she asked. "Beautiful and fun and big and so much more."  
  
Grace smiled slightly. "It was a dream. I felt like I was floating the whole time."  
  
*~JESSIE~*  
  
*~ "She seems different." ~*  
  
"I was affraid to come back," Grace said, looking around the room. "Affraid to what I was coming back to. Everything's different. I was warned about this. He warned me about this."  
  
"Who's he?" Jessie asked.  
  
Lily popped her head in with a huge smile. "Hey, Gracie. Hey, Jessie. You two hungry? We ordered Chinese food. I was to excited to cook." Grace smiled but Jessie stared at Grace with confusion. "Well, it'll be here in a minute."  
  
*~JESSIE~*  
  
*~ "Who's he? Eli? Or some other guy." ~*  
  
"Great," Grace giggled and left the room with Lily.  
  
At dinner Lily, Rick and Zoe kept asking Grace questions. She would answer that the trip was okay, but never gave the life details, only the scenery of England. Not who she met or what she did in her free time. Only, "That building was this" or "That church was that." The basics.  
  
"Meet anybody?" Jessie spoke up, once she got annoyed about not knowing.  
  
Grace looked at her with surprise. "No one important."  
  
"Meaning you met people," Jessie preassured on.  
  
"I met up with a few people," Grace snapped then let out a sigh. She got up from the table. "I'm going over to Kelly's for a little bit. I haven't seen her."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kelly lay down on the couch with a sigh. The front door opened and her brother Buddy walked in. She smiled up at him then lifted her legs. He sat down and she lay her legs on him.  
  
"Lonely?" she asked.  
  
Buddy nodded. "No more roommate."  
  
*~KELLY~*  
  
*~ "I know how he feels. I hate this appartment without Grace. Even though I have Danny. I need a girl roommate." ~*  
  
"Poor baby," she smiled sweetly.  
  
There was a knock at the door and it opened and Grace stepped in carefully. Kelly leaped off the couch and hugged her. Grace smiled. The place felt different. And not a good different. I felt strange and not right. She didn't like that feeling.  
  
"You look great," Kelly smiled at her best friend.  
  
Buddy stood up and gave Grace a hug. "I thought you wouldn't come back."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Grace asked.  
  
"All the letters you sent Kelly and me," he told her. "You seemed to really like it there."  
  
Grace looked around. "Where's Adam?"  
  
"Moved out with his girlfriend," Buddy explained. "Now I have to make rent on my own."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "I feel so uncomfortable." ~*  
  
"Oh," Grace smiled uneasily. "Well at least you still don't live at home."  
  
Kelly looked a little surprised at Grace's statement. But she did still live at home. Why did it shock her? Maybe the word "still" stood out more then any other words. She didn't "still" live with them. She moved out then back it. But it's not "still" its again.  
  
"I'll be right back," Kelly smiled and walked into her bedroom.  
  
Buddy watched her then quickly turned to Grace. "Move in with me."  
  
"What?" Grace asked in shock.  
  
"I know your parents wouldn't like you moving in with a guy, and neither would your boyfriend, but, come on, its me," Buddy babbled. "You really don't want to stay at home do you? I need help with rent. You need help with living. I mean, your mom knows where you are and where you're going and-"  
  
"Okay," Grace smiled. He stared at her, surprised. "Okay."  
  
Buddy smiled. "Did you relly just say okay?"  
  
"Yeah," Grace giggled then hugged him.  
  
Kelly walked back out of the room but noticed them hugging and turned back around. 


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Before I continue, my last chapter was written in a rush. A lot of people asked me about a few things. Starting off, no, Eli did not go to Europe with Grace. In the beginning is Grace and Sarah Ferris coming home on the Airplane. So the scene is on a plane. Sarah is someone who went to college with Grace, they weren't friends until they met up in Europe and became friends on the trip. Also realize I didn't really mention anyone but Lily and Jake at the airport. But Rick, Jessie, Eli and Zoe were there. Take it as symbolism that some people still don't know about Eli and Grace. Kelly is married and that means Grace is left with no home so she stays with Lily and Rick. But Buddy (read back, Kelly's brother) who I know I never showed after one time, does have a friendship with Grace. So, he needs a roommate after his other one moved out. He asks Grace, who hates being stuck at her mother's house. Remember the phone call before the plain ride. Buddy said "Remember what I told you." It came up in Chapter 24 with Grace and Jessie. Buddy was the "he". It'll come up again. Grace will be a little different after having been away and came back to find that time didn't stand still. Things have changed over the past three months. During calls and letters secrets have been held from her. They will come out. The ticket Sarah gave Grace will also come out soon. Everyone begins to question if Grace came back for a visit or to stay. Another Sarah and Grace scene coming up that has to do with the ticket. Also, Eli is the one who found the ticket but instead of asking Grace about it he asks Zoe (a gossip) who tells everyone else in the family. Ralf will come back soon and Sunny as well, without a certain sister at toe, which upsets Jessie. Before I give away to much (or did I?) I will stop. Thank you everyone for your long awaited patients. My computer is so messed up... Chapter 25 was posted immediatly after this.  
  
***********************************************************************************************  
  
PART 25  
  
Grace lay scrunched into a ball on her bed. Her eyes stayed on the open suitcases that lay on her floor. She never unpacked. Why? Was she waiting to move into her own apartment or waiting to jump on the next plain out of town? She slowly sat up, as her arm slid from under her pillow, the plain ticket came with.  
  
*~B&W FLASHBACK~*  
  
*~SARAH: We could always turn back around. ~*  
  
*~GRACE: (staring at the ticket) Two weeks? ~*  
  
Grace opened the ticket and a half smile appeared on her lips. All of those good times. All she did there. All of those people she knew. All of those tea times. All of that dancing. How she wanted to relive every second. How she wanted to see them faces again. How she wanted to dance. Not normal everyday dancing, but a special dance only they knew.  
  
*~B&W FLASHBACK~*  
  
*~ Grace and a boy are on a bridge.~*  
  
*~ BOY: (sitting on the edge; speaks with the accent) Come on. Sit here. ~*  
  
*~ GRACE: Mark, get down. You're going to fall and I won't go after you. ~*  
  
*~ MARK: Won't you? Then you'll have to sit next to me. ~*  
  
Grace stood up and walked over to a suitcase. She took out a bunch of photos and sat back down on her bed. As she flipped through she stopped at one with herself, Mark, Sarah and another boy in front of the Eifle Tower soak and wet. Sarah is leaning her head on Grace's shoulder, both sitting in the grass and the boys are in the back, the boy's hand around Sarah's stomach.  
  
*~B&W FLASHBACK~*  
  
*~ Grace, Sarah, Mark, the boy and another girl run around chasing each other with water guns. They all fall onto the ground. ~*  
  
*~ GIRL: Picture time! ~*  
  
*~ ALL: MARY! ~*  
  
*~ MARY: (ready to take the picture) Come on. ~*  
  
*~ SARAH: Joe, sit with me. ~*  
  
There was a knock on the door and Grace quickly shoved everything under her pillow. The door slowly opened and Lily poppedher smiling head in. Grace gave her a fake smile, hoping she'd go away.  
  
"Hey, honey," Lily said, closing the door. "I've been really worried about you."  
  
Grace shrugged. "Why? I'm fine."  
  
"Mother's intuition," Lily told her. She sat on the bed next to her. "You don't share much about your trip and you aren't much of a happy self anymore. Also, before you left, we were getting along-"  
  
"We are!" Grace interrupted. "Its just, we were getting along because I didn't live with you. I've figured out a perfect solution to the problem. I could move back out. You see-"  
  
"Grace, I love having you back home," her mother stated. "I was hoping maybe you'd finish college while staying here."  
  
Grace stared at her. "Buddy asked me to stay with him. Its right across the hall from Kelly. I mean, it'll be just like old times except with a little spin."  
  
"But, he's a... he," Lily said slowly.  
  
"Yeah, he is," Grace smiled. "You do know I don't have to ask for your permission. I mean, I'm just telling you. I'm already packed, so I don't have much to do. Mom, I've been gone for three months and the last thing I wanted to do is come back and live here again."  
  
"But-" Lily started.  
  
Grace stopped her. "I'm not 16 anymore and asking you if I could go to a make out party because the hottest boy in school said I should go. Trust me. Grace's intuition that this is the best thing for both of us. Because if I don't leave now I will feel like that dull little 16 year old girl."  
  
*~LILY~*  
  
*~ "I don't want to let her be a grown up." ~*  
  
"Go, get out of my house," Lily joked.  
  
Grace leaped foward and hugged her mother. "I love you." She began to run out of the room. "I have to tell Jessie!" Before leaving she smiled back. "Thanks, mom."  
  
Lily sighed then noticed something under Grace's pillow. She walked over and pulled out a plain ticket. She read over it quickly, realizing that her daughter may not be staying even near the same state.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zoe left Alex's car in a hurry and started to run toward the front doors of school. Alex chaised close behind her. When they saw a teacher the hid behind lockers and laughed when they went unnoiticed. The hallways were all empty of students. The day had begun three hours before hand and the two teens had left for fun.  
  
"Why did we even come back?" Zoe giggled, feeling very excited. "I mean, the new principal is tough. You know she'll want to see us. 'Why haven't you two been in your classes until now?' I say we just run."  
  
"So they can catch us?" Alex asked.  
  
Above them the bell rang. They looked up in fright but calmed down immediatly. The students came out of their classrooms in a rush to get to their next class. Zoe gave a half smile to Alex then left their hiding place.  
  
"Hey, Zoe!" a girl screamed toward her.  
  
Zoe turned around slowly to see Tatu walking toward her. "Hey."  
  
"Where have you been?" Tatu asked.  
  
"Everywhere but here," Zoe answered with a huge smile. They both stopped once they reached each other. "Any word from Sunny?"  
  
"She would call you before me," Tatu noted.  
  
The two girls looked down the hallways once they heard a teacher rusing the kids to class. They both shrugged and went their seperate ways.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Eli!" Grace yelled as she walked into his appartment hold his mail.  
  
She dropped the keys on the kitchen counter then began to shuffle through the pile. Most of the mail consisted of bills and things like that. Surprisingly, some mail was addressed to someone other the Eli. Someone named Orlando Martin.  
  
"What is this?" a boy said from behind her. Grace didn't turn around, she looked up at the wall with a half smile. "Is this Grace Manning back from Europe or do my eyes decieve me?"  
  
Grace turned around. "Scratch out your eyes. I'm not here."  
  
"Ha, ha," he laughed sarcastically. "Eli didn't even mention you had come back. I could have met you at the airport. I could have had one of the billboard signs that said something along the lines of 'Welcome back, now go away.' You know what I mean."  
  
"Go to hell, Orlando," Grace groaned. "I can't believe Eli asked you to move in here."  
  
"Well, I'm his friend who was down on his luck," he answered. "Now get out. I have a girl coming over."  
  
"No!" Grace snapped. "I have a right to be here."  
  
Orlando grabbed the mail from her hand. "Mine."  
  
"I could just kill you-" Grace started but the door opened and Eli came in. The two stopped and smiled at him. "Hey, Eli."  
  
Eli shut the door slowly. "You two have to start getting along."  
  
"No," Orlando said.  
  
Grace added immediatly after, "No way."  
  
Orlando walked over to the couch and sat down. "E, Coop and your mom called."  
  
"Thanks," Eli said.  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "He's such a jerk. I don't know how he and Eli get along." ~*  
  
"So, I have news," Grace smiled turning toward Eli. "I'm moving out of the house again."  
  
Eli smiled. "With who?"  
  
"Now, you might not like it, but with Buddy-" Grace started.  
  
"Wait!" Orlando yelled and looked over the back of the couch. "Mail can wait. You mean, you're moving in with a guy. A guy other then your dad or your boyfriend. Oh, Eli, buddy, you can't let that go."  
  
"I'm fine with it," Eli answered, surprising both Grace and Orlando. "I mean, I don't controll you."  
  
Grace stuck her tongue out at Orlando and then looked at Eli. "Okay, well, great. I better go, Orlando has a girl coming over. Or, I think I boy. I forget what his status is." She kissed Eli quickly. "I'll call you later."  
  
Once the door shut behind her Orlando threw a pillow at the door. Eli watched him then shook his head.  
  
"Why do you hate each other so much?" Eli asked.  
  
"Easy, she knows how to get to me and I know how to get to her," Orlando answered. "You're not okay with it are you?"  
  
"Not even close," Eli told him then walked into his bedroom.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: I would like to appoligize for the wait. My computer is very hungry for viruses I guess u could say. But thank u all for your patients (that should be spelled right). And another sorry if this is to confusing. If so, u can IM me and shalzi15 on AIM or AOL and email me at bookchick05@yahoo.com, this is my special feedback mailbox for future references. Thanks you... Love Siddalee  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	26. Chapter 26

Part 26  
  
Eli dropped a box on the ground and looked around Grace's new room. She lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. Once she noticed him staring at her she waved him over. He climbed onto the bed and kissed her lightly on the nose.  
  
"I want to tell them," Grace said quickly, leaning on her elbows. "Our parents I mean. And I want it to be a dinner with everyone. Meaning Jessie and Zoe. So its either here or your place. And I was thinking your place. Because I just moved in here and I don't want to hassel Buddy."  
  
Eli smiled. "Mine it is."  
  
"Really?" Grace asked. "I mean, its not to soon or anything?"  
  
"Its to late if you ask me," he told her.  
  
Grace's smile grew. "I love you."  
  
"I'm a lovable person," Eli laughed.  
  
Buddy walked to the door and knocked. "I'm going out for a little bit. The place is your's for the night."  
  
"You bringing anyone home?" Grace asked.  
  
"Maybe," he told her with a sly smile. "Don't wait up."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "I like living here already. Its freedom with a good friend across the hall." ~*  
  
Grace waited to hear the door close before looking back at Eli. "So, spagetti seem like a good way to do it or are you thinking something with meat?"  
  
The phone rang and the two just stayed still, looking around the room for the phone. They each climbed to their feet and started to push around a few things. Eli found the phone under one of Grace's shirts. Without thinking he answered.  
  
"Hello?" he asked.  
  
"Eli?" Lily's voice came through the line. "Eli, why are you at Grace's place?"  
  
"Hi, Lily," Eli said staring at Grace with slight panic. "Um, here's Grace right here."  
  
Grace took the phone and covered the mouth part. She let out a huge breath then put the phone to her ear. "Hey, mom."  
  
"What's Eli doing there?" Lily asked.  
  
"Oh, um," Grace stumbled. "I needed help carrying things... across the hall. Orlando is here to. And Danny is helping." She shrugs toward Eli, thinking it was a good excuse.  
  
"Oh, Danny is there!" Lily cheered. "I wanted to congradulate him on the wedding. I never got the chance to. Everything seemed so rushed. Can you put him on?"  
  
"No," Grace said quickly. "I mean, its only me and Eli right now. The other three went to... umm... get lunch-" she looked at the time "-dinner. So we were just unpacking a few things and waiting. You know, mom, speaking of dinner. Eli wanted to have everyone over for dinner sometime this week. Like, um, you, Rick, Jessie and Zoe. It would be cool you know. Maybe ven daddy and Karen could stop by."  
  
Lily was silent for a second. "Friday sound good?"  
  
"Yeah!" Grace smiled. "Friday."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jessie flipped the page of the new magazine and squinted her eyes and Britney Spears and her to much revealing self. She continued to look through at all the disguisting fashion tips and models who found it sexy to wear only a piece of fabric. She knew she could never be caught dead in those things. Heather would agree.  
  
Heather.  
  
She could be anywhere. Somewhere like Hawaii or Hollywood. She could have found Ralf and Rainbow and decided to stay with them. Poor Sunny would have to stay as well. Soon the little girl would want to be called Sunflower because she had decided hippy was cool. And Ralf would have already changed his name to something like Greenleaf and Heather to something as simple as Daisy. Their parents would be proud.  
  
Zoe came into the room and took the magazine from Jessie's hands. "Like you're actually interrested."  
  
"I was reading it," Jessie noted.  
  
Zoe looked at the cover while falling into the armchair. "Oh, Justin Timberlake."  
  
"Ew," Jessie flinched.  
  
*~JESSIE~*  
  
*~ "It amazes me that Zoe is a cheerleading, Justin loving, fairy goddess kind of girl. But she was always a sweetheart. Like she did like ballet. So I can't really say it wasn't expected." ~*  
  
Zoe rolled her eyes. "So, dinner on Friday at Eli's place. Which is great because Orlando is incredibly hot."  
  
"It's pretty weird that they only knew each other for a month and Eli asked him to move in," Jessie noted. "I mean, before someone moves in with me, I at least want to know them for more then a month. What if he like robs people or something bad like that? He could just rob Eli blind and leave."  
  
Zoe shook her head and looked back down at the magazine. "Wait a second," she said slowly then looked up at Jessie. "Mom said that Grace told her about the dinner. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
  
Jessie's smile grew. "If you're thinking what I'm thinking, then I think we're thinking what they're thinking of doing."  
  
"That's what I'm thinking," Zoe said. "This is huge!"  
  
Jessie watched Zoe smile happily. An idea popped into her head to ask about Sunny. Although is was a very touchy subject for her stepsister. She sat foward carefully so that she seemed to be closer to Zoe.  
  
"So, Zo-" Jessie started but Rick came in the front door. "Hey, dad."  
  
"Hey, girls," Rick smiled at them as he set his suitcase down. "How was your day?"  
  
Zoe shrugged. "Fine."  
  
"Yeah," Jessie agreed.  
  
Rick nodded. "Sounds good."  
  
Once Rick left the room Zoe flipped a page in the magazine and said aloud, "Bad day."  
  
"Horrible day," Jessie agreed once again.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Eli walked into his apartment and tossed his keys onto the table beside the door. He looked around to see the place empty of a certain roommate. But he quickly shrugged it off and went into the kitchen. On the machine was three messages. So he pressed play.  
  
"Hey, Orli," Orlando's mother's voice came through the phone. "Just checking to see how you're doing. Call me."  
  
Beep.  
  
"Hey, Eli!" Eli's boss Amanda shouted happily. "How does New York sound? Pretty great huh! Well, pack your bags, buddy. We're going with Kicks, that band we signed last month and they are performing on non other then Good Morning America. Its a show on new artists and all. I think they are just trying something new for the last hour. But you, me and James Lanburg are on our way this Saturday. Call me back right away!"  
  
Beep.  
  
"Hey, Orlando," a depressed Rachel started. "I know this is wrong to do over the machine and all, but I think we should break up-"  
  
"No, no, no, no, no," Eli said, forgetting the happiness from the message before.  
  
"... Well, you see, I've been seeing this other guy and he asked me to marry him," Rachel continued. "And you don't want marriage. I do. So, it's over. Goodbye."  
  
Beep.  
  
Eli stared at the machine and hit the save button. He quickly collected himself, grabbed his keys, and left. No way could he be there when Orlando got that message. So, he went to work and decided to talk to Amanda about the trip.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kelly ran into Grace and Buddy's apartment with a huge smile. "Want to reconnect with all of your friends? Well, here's your big chance. Big blow out party from Franky."  
  
"Franky doesn't throw big blow out parties," Grace said as she came from her room.  
  
"Yes he does," Kelly argued.  
  
Grace shook her head. "No he goes to them and claims to throw them."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "Truth is no, I don't want to go." ~*  
  
Kelly thought about it for a second. "Anyway, everyone is looking foward to seeing you. It's this Saturday. All you can drink and great music. Please go. Please."  
  
"I hate college parties," Grace groaned.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Go back to Europe? How could she even think about it?  
  
Lily wouldn't tell anyone else until she got it straight with Grace. For all she knew it was Sarah's ticket that just got mixed up in Grace's things. Which of course does not explain why is was hidden under her pillow.  
  
But what would Lily say?  
  
"Hey, Grace, I went snooping in your things and found the plane ticket."  
  
It didn't seem right. Why did she have to look? Why did she always have to snoop into Grace's life? Grace never told her things. She means well to snoop. Her daughter never mentions any guys that could be in her life. Lily never knew anything. She had to ask what was going on. Grace would hate her if she jumped to conclusions.  
  
Rick walked into their bedroom with a smile on his lips. He lay down on the bed and began to read his book as he did every night. Lily did the same, making sure that if they were to speak, Grace never came into conversation.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Sorry if anyone thinks my Chapters are to short. I am always rushing anymore lol. Hope you like. 


	27. Chapter 27

PART 27  
  
Grace mixed the pasta in the pot then quickly grabbed a different spoon and mixed the sauce. Eli fixed up the table for the many people coming over. Then the front door opened and Orlando walked in with a depressed look on his face. Without a word he went into his bedroom and closed the door.  
  
"Poor guy," Grace said. "Must suck." She eyed Eli carefully. "How would you react if I did that to you?"  
  
Eli looked up in surprise. "What are you telling me? Do you have another guy on the side who you are going to marry?"  
  
"No," Grace smiled. She waited for him to turn away and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "So, um, what time are they coming again?"  
  
"Six," Eli told her.  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "I am going to do this tonight." ~*  
  
She looked at the time.  
  
4:00.  
  
Only 4:00.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zoe ran down the street, seeing her bus passing. Once she reached the corner the bus took off anyway. She groaned and sat down on the bench to wait for the next bus. Her eyes traveled among the many passing faces. To her surprise, when she looked across the street, an unexpected face glared back at her.  
  
"Ralf?" she whispered as she stood up.  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "No way." ~*  
  
She waited for all of the cars to pass before running across the street. He started to walk away so she had to quickly chase him around a corner. She grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her.  
  
"I can't believe you!" she yelled, but calmed down when she noticed people staring.  
  
"Hush," Ralf said, covered her mouth and pulled her out of the path of others. "Would you calm down."  
  
Zoe pushed his hand away. "Why are you here? Why aren't you with Sunny and Heather? Or are you?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Ralf asked.  
  
Zoe looked a bit confused. "They went after you. They went to find you and Rainbow." She stared at him carefully. "They didn't find you?" Ralf shook his head. "They're out there still looking."  
  
"Come on," he started. "My apartment is around the corner."  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "They're out there for nothing." ~*  
  
She watched him walk away then slowly, decided to follow. They arrived at a slightly beat up building. He lived on the second floor in room 103. Inside the apartment was way nicer then Zoe thought it would be. She watched as he took two cups from his cabnet and grabbed two sodas from the fridge.  
  
"You've been living here for a while," Zoe noted. "It doesn't look as if you just moved in."  
  
Ralf shook his head. "Two months. I've got a job a couple blocks up. That's where I was just coming from."  
  
"So, let me get the straight!" Zoe started, still looking around the living room. "You've been here for two months while not getting in contact with anyone. Therefor not knowing that your sisters are out there looking for you. Are you just insane or... or... more insane."  
  
Ralf laughed. "I get it. Only a cheerleader can come up with that line. You're a cheerleader."  
  
"I... well, kinda... but that is not the point! And its mean. The point is while you sit in your cozy apartment, my best friend is out there in a car looking for you."  
  
"Good, Sunny needed a road trip," Ralf said. He noticed Zoe was a little dressed up. "Where were you going? The bus you missed doesn't take you home." Zoe crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "You look grown up. When I left you were just a little bit."  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "Thanks." (grins) ~*  
  
Zoe started to smile but quickly frowned. "Okay, so not the time to compliment me. And if you must no, I was on my way to Eli's apartment. We were joining for dinner and now I am going to be really late."  
  
"I'll drive you," he told her.  
  
Zoe looked at him in surprise. "Thanks."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Grace knocked on Orlando's bedroom door and waited a second before opening the door. She saw him laying flat on his bed but when he saw his door open he sat up slowly. He sighed and fell back noticing it was her.  
  
"So he sent in the girlfriend," he said.  
  
Grace smiled a little. "Girlfriend came in herself. He's in the bathroom."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," Orlando told her.  
  
"Are you eating my food?" she asked.  
  
Orlando sat up. "She didn't wrip out my stomach, just my heart."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "Poor guy." ~*  
  
They both heard a knock out at the front door. So Orlando jumped up and they left his room. Eli came from his own room and ran to open the door. Once he opened to it Lily, Rick, and the twins smiled back at him.  
  
"Hey!" he smiled and kissed Lily on the cheek. "Hi, dad."  
  
The twins were set onto the ground and took off to explore. Grace picked up Brian and kissed him on the cheek then did the same with Holly. Lily and Rick hung their coats up then went to sit on the couch. Grace ran quickly back to the stove to check on the food while Orlando sat in the arm chair and Eli on the couch.  
  
"Zoe and Jessie said they'd meet us here," Lily mentioned. "Oh, and Grace Sarah called. She mentioned something about calling her about Europe."  
  
Grace stopped and looked at the back of her mother's head, a little panicked. No one noticed her pail face besides Orlando, who studied her every move from that moment. They all heard a knock at the door and Jessie came in. She seemed her cheerful self although they all knew of how Jessie felt inside. Next they thought Zoe would be in any minute... but she wasn't showing. Jake and Karen showed up without Tiffany or Henry.  
  
An hour passed and the food was getting cold, and everyone walked around extremely worried. Zoe didn't call or anything, the way she was supposed to if she were to be late. Lily and Jake were so worried that they each kept checking the phone for a dial tone. Grace and Jessie hid in a far off corner, talking about life, but not Zoe. They hid so they wouldn't worry Lily. As if they didn't care about Zoe, although they both were affraid.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ralf pulled up in front of the apartment building and Zoe sighed as they stared at it. She smiled sweetly over at Ralf who held his right hand up straight. Zoe followed her action and then climbed out of the car. She watched him pull away before starting her way upstairs into the apartment.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I just don't understand where she could be," Lily sighed with worry.  
  
"She'll be fine," Rick comforted her. "She'll walk in that door any second."  
  
Just then the door opened and Zoe stumbled in. Everyone's eyes were on her. She closed the door slowly behind her, waiting for someone to say something. Lily walked foward and hugged her tightly.  
  
"I'm fine," Zoe said, pulling away, but Lily kept her shoulders. "I said I'd be here. I never said what time."  
  
"Zo, you're an hour and a half late," Grace said.  
  
Zoe shrugged. "My bad."  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "I'm not getting out of this one." ~*  
  
"Is that all you can say?" Jake asked.  
  
Zoe went to say something then changed her mind. "Yes, yes it is."  
  
"Where were you?" Lily asked finally.  
  
Zoe stared at her as if she were insane. "I'm hungry. Extremely hungry."  
  
"Okay," Lily replied, finally letting go.  
  
Zoe dropped away and walked over to the kitchen. Jessie followed her, grabbed a plate from the table. They all served themselves then sat down around the livingroom to eat. Everyone dropped the Zoe thing and talked about work and school. Zoe's eyes fell on Jessie a few times, wondering about how she felt. She was falling in love with Ralf, it was obvious. How would she feel when she found out he was back?  
  
After dinner everyone lounged around for a while. Orlando and Zoe started up a game of Monopoly on the floor while Eli and Jessie played go fish with the cards. The twins were playing with toys that Lily and Rick had brought along.  
  
"So, um," Grace started. "How did everyone like dinner?"  
  
Jessie smiled. "Good. Thanks. Cold. But good."  
  
"I said my bad!" Zoe defended herself. She stared at the board. "I'll buy it." Then she looked back at Jessie. "Anyways, I'm older now. Sometimes its okay to be fashionably late."  
  
"Where were you during this fashion statement?" Orlando asked.  
  
Zoe held her hand up straight. "Ah, its a secret. I'm sworn."  
  
*~LILY~*  
  
*~ "She's not supposed to have secrets." ~*  
  
"Even to the hottest guys," Zoe smiled at Orlando. She looked at the board. "Hey wait, I passed go. Where's my money?!"  
  
Orlando smiled over at Grace. "See, your sister thinks I'm hot. Only a matter of time before you come around."  
  
"I doubt it," Grace laughed.  
  
He tossed the dice on the board. "By the way, last time you slept over you left your toothbrush."  
  
Everyone in the room froze and stared at Orlando blankly. He sat still staring at the board, feeling all of their eyes on him. While everyone looked serious except Zoe and Jessie who looked at each other with smiles on their faces. Then they both broke into fits of laughter. This move surprised everyone.  
  
"I told you!" Jessie giggled as Zoe fell flat onto the floor. "He'd do it! And you said no."  
  
"That's wrong!" Zoe said through her laughter.  
  
The two girls noticed the stares and quickly tried to stop laughing.  
  
"I heard you guys got new bed spreads!" Jessie said aloud.  
  
Zoe pretended to be shocked. "I thought that was just a rumor."  
  
Jessie and Orlando watched Zoe run into Eli's room and then shook their heads as if she were insane then followed her with the twins. Eli and Grace sat still in their places, waiting for someone to say something. In the bedroom Zoe, Orlando and Jessie all had their ears pressed against the door.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So what are you going to do, ground me?" Grace asked, falling backwards over the arm of the armchair and crossing her arms over her stomach.  
  
Lily covered her face. "It's weird... its wrong!"  
  
"I don't see how," Karen stated. "They're human beings, they're not siblings, and one's and man and one's a woman. You both stuck them in the same house when they were just teenagers. Things happened."  
  
Rick looked surprised. "Did you know?"  
  
"Who was I supposed to go to for advice?" Eli asked.  
  
Grace smiled a little. "I'm a handful."  
  
*~GRACE~*  
  
*~ "At least we have Karen on our side." ~*  
  
Karen leaned over the arm chair Grace was sitting on. "Where is the problem? I see no problem."  
  
"There were rules that we set up when Lily and I got together," Rick said.  
  
Grace raised her hand. "I didn't get that memo. The words, 'Don't date each other' were never said. Just... what's the word... emplied?"  
  
"The point is, it was never said," Eli jumped in. "You two just never wanted us to. You never said not to."  
  
Jake raised his hand a little. "Okay, I have something to say. I never liked the idea of you two together, but, Eli's grown on me a little. I say we just let it go. They're grown ups now. We can't do anything about it."  
  
"Thank you, daddy," Grace smiled.  
  
Rick shrugged toward his wife. "I'm okay with it. I mean, I always knew someday something would happen."  
  
"So, I'm the bad guy now?" Lily asked. "Why am I the only one who sees a problem with this?"  
  
*~LILY~*  
  
*~ "They're like brother and sister. They can't be romantic." ~*  
  
"Yes," Grace and Eli replied in unison.  
  
Lilly sighed. "I need to get out of here."  
  
She quickly gathered her things, took the twins out of Eli's bedroom and left the apartment. Rick, of course, close behind. Not to long later Karen left then Rick. Zoe and Jessie remained in the apartment to talk everything over with Grace and Eli. As soon as Grace saw Orlando she threw her shoe at him.  
  
"I wanted to tell them!" she yelled.  
  
Orlando shrugged. "It slipped!"  
  
"So, its out?" Zoe asked, although the answer was obvious.  
  
Grace and Eli smiled. "Finally."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: So I finally decided to bring them out! And again sry if its short. 


	28. Chapter 28

PART 28  
  
Zoe stood in Ralf's kitchen making eggs and bacon. She had the radio playing on high blaring "Every me, every you" by Placebo. She mouthed the words and slightly banged her head to the beat. Ralf opened the bedroom door, wearing his boxers and a t-shirt. She couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Hungry?" she asked and continued to sing. "I serve my head up on a plate, its only comfort calling late. Cause there's nothing else to do, every me and every you. Every me every you..." She heard Ralf turn down the radio. "Hey!"  
  
"When I said feel free to come over I didn't mean wake me up," he said. "Shouldn't you be in school?"  
  
"It's Saturday, honey bunch," she smiled and watched him. He stared at her for a second and smiled as well. "You can't resist my charm. All cheerleaders have it. And you said it was a bad thing."  
  
He grabbed a plate she had made up for him. "How did dinner go?"  
  
"Last night?" she asked even though it was obvious. "Okay I guess. When I walked in they asked me where I was I said nothing they let it go then Orlando slipped on the Eli slash Grace thing and well, now they know. Of course mom spent the night yelling and me and Jess for not telling her and Rick for saying it was okay when in her mind its not."  
  
"Sounds fun," he said.  
  
Zoe shrugged. "It wasn't that bad."  
  
"You know, kiddo," he started. "You are really grown up."  
  
"Then stop calling me kiddo," she told him.  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "I hate him calling me that. He says I'm more adult but still calls me kiddo." ~*  
  
"Its only been a summer you know," he stated.  
  
Zoe rolled her eyes. "Well, a lot can happen over a summer. People could disappear then reappear and then say they were only gone for a month. People could disappear and not reappear because they're looking for the other people that actually never went anywhere."  
  
"Sorry," he said and looked down.  
  
"No," she said, "it's okay. Its just, I never really had friends until I sat with Sunny that day. She opened her arms and welcomed lonely me in. Then made Alex open his. Ever sense she never went away. Then she followed you."  
  
"You blame me?"  
  
She stared at him. "Yeah. Did you even want Jessie? You two were so great together. I remember thing, 'Wow, I want that.' Did you?"  
  
"No, not then," he said. "And I haven't seen Jessie in three months. Maybe she doesn't care anymore either. I liked her a lot but at that moment I didn't know what I wanted to do. So I pulled a me and ran."  
  
"And what? You'll just do the same with the next girl. Which might be Jessie again. They start to fall hard and you just up and leave. Doesn't sound like a good life plan if you ask me."  
  
"Who asked you?"  
  
"Jessie! You left and she spent nights crying asking me what I think? Why you did it? I never had the answers. Ralf, I want the answers. You should have heard her sometimes. It was like you wripped out her heart and did a clog dance on it."  
  
"I don't know what more to say then I'm sorry," Ralf snapped back.  
  
Zoe opened her mouth to reply but her cell phone rang. She took it out and answered it quickly. "Yeah?... Okay. I'm coming." She hung up. "I have to go." She grabbed her purse and left without another word.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Grace walked out of Eli's room and looked around the room. A sharp chill caught her and she looked over in the kitchen to see someone had left the window open. She walked over and went to shut it but took in the fresh air. A noise came from behind her and she saw Orlando coming in the front door.  
  
"Where did you go?" she asked.  
  
"To see if I could stop Rachel from going to Vegas and eloping," he said as he lay on the couch. "By the time I got there he plane had left."  
  
"Sorry," she told him. She sat on the counter. "Eli is going to New York in a few hours. You're welcome to stop him."  
  
"Right," Orlando said as he jumped up and walked over to her. "It would be romantic. He'd be standing there with his ticket and I'd rush over and say, 'Don't go, Eli.' It would be so romantic and everyone would clap."  
  
Grace laughed. "Brings a tear to my eye."  
  
"Mine to," Eli said as he came out of his bedroom. "Because I'm gay in that little story of your's."  
  
"She asked," Orlando said as he went back to his place on the couch.  
  
Grace kissed Eli lightly on the lips. "How long are you going to be gone anyways?"  
  
"A week at the most," Eli said. "But probably not even. Its just one television show and a show to start them off. They play ahead of U2."  
  
"Coolness," Grace smiled and kissed him again.  
  
"Blah blah blah, blah blah blah," Orlando sighed.  
  
Grace smiled. "Who's going to watch the dumpie? He's in the suicide zone."  
  
"What and give you the saticfaction?" Orlando said. "Never."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zoe lay on her bed in silence as Counting Crows "Colorblind" played in the background. She payed attention to every word although she didn't sing any of them. She took her eyes off the cieling and looked at the pictures that lay beside her. One of Sunny, Alex and herself laughing and the other of Ralf with her arm around Jessie, the rest still sat in the package.  
  
"I am colorblind   
  
Coffee black and egg white   
  
Pull me out from inside   
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready..."  
  
She took the picture of Sunny, Alex and her into her hand and looked at it closer. They looked so happy. Maybe she was to hard on Ralf. He was going through some rough times and probably needed a friend.  
  
She heard a knock on he door so she sat up and hid the pictures under he pillow. "Yeah?"  
  
"Hey," Jessie said and opened the door. "Heard the extremely depressing moment and thought I'd check on you."  
  
"I'm okay," Zoe smiled and shut off the CD. "Its a good CD after being dumped. Sunny made it for me.  
  
"You weren't dating anyone," Jessie stated.  
  
Zoe nodded. "Its just, they're not back. I know you have the same feeling. Even double the feeling."  
  
"It's like AA," Jessie smiled. "Day by day. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow."  
  
"What would you do if Ralf came back?" Zoe asked. "Would you hate him? Would you yell at him and blame him for Heather leaving?"  
  
Jessie shut the door and sat on the bed next to her. "Maybe, maybe not. I'd ask him things that I was wondering. I'd ask him if he saw Heather or Sunny. Maybe even why he left. I know it wasn't just for Rainbow. I guess I'd yell a little. I'd have to be a little mad and so would you. Your best friend went after him after all."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lily listened from outside the door. She was doing that a lot. Everyone was keeping secrets from her and she had to know. Zoe never told her how she was feeling or what was happening and neither did Jessie. Grace never even talked about Eli or Europe. She felt left out and the only way to get in was to sneak around.  
  
"So, are you seeing anyone?" Jessie asked, and Lily knew she was smiling.  
  
"Jessie!" Zoe giggled.  
  
Lily sighed and walked downstairs to the empty living room. Rick had taken the twins to the park so she had no way to pre-ocupy herself. So she went into the kitchen to make something for lunch. She looked over at the phone, thinking over calling Grace. She grabbed the phone and hit the speed dial to her apartment.  
  
"Hello?" Buddy answered after one ring.  
  
"Hi, Buddy, its Lily, is Grace home?" Lily asked.  
  
Buddy stayed silent for a second. "Uh, no. You moght want to try her at her boyfriends... or maybe not. Because she wouldn't be there right. I can check Kelly's place."  
  
"No, its okay," Lily said. "Just... I'll call her later."  
  
She hung up and shook her head. Of course she wouldn't be home. Eli was leaving town for a while and Grace probably wanted to be with him. Not to mention last night was a big step for them...  
  
*~LILY~*  
  
*~ "Stop thinking about it, Lily. Just try not to think about it." ~*  
  
Zoe and Jessie walked in the kitchen laughing. "Hey," they said in unison.  
  
"Hey," she replied. "Zo, where did you go so early this morning?"  
  
Zoe shrugged and looked down. "Sunny's place. Her parents got a letter from her and they wanted me to go over first thing."  
  
"You didn't tell me that," Jessie said.  
  
"It was nothing good," Zoe answered. "The found Rainbow but no Ralf. She said she saw him a couple months ago but he left after a couple days. So, they are still looking. Nothing about coming home."  
  
Jessie just nodded and didn't respond. Zoe had seen that letter about three weeks before but didn't tell them about it. She figured it as a good cover story if anyone were to ask about where she went. It seemed to work. Other then the depression that appeared on Jessie's fair face.  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "Ralf isn't going to let me tell her. I want to tell her. But, I know, until he lets me or he tells her himself, I'll make her feel that way a lot. I hate to make her feel that way." ~*  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Okay, call me every single day," Grace smiled.  
  
Eli tossed his carry-on-bag over his shoulder. "I will. Its only a short visit. Its not like I'm going away for a year."  
  
"I know," Grace said. "Its just now I have to face the mom all by myself."  
  
"FINAL BOARDING CALL FOR FLIGHT 83 STRAIGHT TO NEW YORK CITY," the announcer called.  
  
"Okay, now I really have to go," he said and kissed her.  
  
Grace smiled. "Bye."  
  
She watched him hand in his ticket and walk down the hall.  
  
*(PICTURE THIS AS THE SHOW WITH THE SONG IN THE BACKGROUND.)*  
  
"I am colorblind   
  
Coffee black and egg white   
  
Pull me out from inside   
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready..."  
  
***  
  
Zoe turned on her stereo to "Color Blind" once again. She went over to her bed picked up the pictures from under her pillow. She slowly ran her finger over Sunny's face and then sat down with a sob.  
  
"I am taffy stuck and tongue tied   
  
Stutter shook and uptight   
  
Pull me out from inside   
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready  
  
I am fine..."  
  
***  
  
Jessie sat down on her bed with tears in her eyes. She pulled out the drawer of the table beside her and took out a framed picture of herself and Ralf. She lay down on her pillows and held the picture against her chest.  
  
"I am covered in skin   
  
No one gets to come in   
  
Pull me out from inside   
  
I am folded and unfolded and unfolding..."  
  
***  
  
Lily sat at the kitchen table staring at her full cup of coffee. She heard the back door open and something inside her wished it was Grace. Rick and the twins came in. She smiled, taking them into her arms for a hug.  
  
"I am colorblind   
  
Coffee black and egg white   
  
Pull me out from inside."   
  
***  
  
Grace sat in the chair at the airport and watched the plane lift off. She stood up once the plane was no longer in sight. Then she stood up and walked away.  
  
"I am ready  
  
I am ready  
  
I am ready  
  
I am fine  
  
I am fine  
  
I am fine."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Okay this may be a tad dramatic but... sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry SORRY! for the extremely long wait. I tried to make it long. I wrote a lot but my disk got infected so I couldn't get it. So, I am trying to write and give it to you guys now. Thanks for waiting if you did wait. 


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Thanks to anyone who stuck around to see where my story was going.  
  
Laura: I had just got finished watching the Cruel Intentions DVD and was writing and said, "Hey, that could fit." Good job lol.  
  
Farah: Jessie is gay and I'm trying at this moment to come up with a story line for her and another girl but I don't know who. Any ideas you or anyone else has would be amazing and a great help. And not just on the Jessie front.  
  
PART 29  
  
"Good morning, class," the woman said in an German accent. "Well, not for you. It is Monday after all and the weekend is now gone. I am Mrs. Elizabeth Kelson and I am your new English teacher..."  
  
Zoe looked over at Alex and rolled her eyes. She looked down at his desk and realized her was sketching a funny cartoon of her. She had a big head and she was in a Nazi uniform. He drew angry Jewish people behind her. Zoe laughed and when she realized the woman staring at her she stopped.  
  
"I do not tolerate nonsense," Mrs. Kelson said as she walked toward Zoe. "Especially not from high school children. I want quiet and when I am talking I want all eyes on me! No homework for another class-" she stopped beside Alex and wripped the picture from his book "-and no drawing or doodling." She looked at the picture and Zoe and Alex tried to hide their laughter. "Huh. Interresting. What's your name?"  
  
"Alex," he said.  
  
"Well, Alex," she said with her nose stuck in the air. "You are on my list. Don't expect an easy pass."  
  
When she walked away Alex looked over at Zoe then smiled. "Didn't expect to pass anyway," he said loudly. "Don't expect your work. At least not on time."  
  
After class Zoe, Alex and another girl named Miranda stummbled out laughing. They teased the teacher by using her accent she had. They would say things like, "Look at me, I'm so stuck up," or things she had said.  
  
"I have a big nose that I can stick in the air," Zoe laughed as she walked backwards. They all laughed. "I am mean and I hate everybody." She twisted back around and wrapped her arm around Alex's. "All seriousness now, what happened to Ms. Harris? I liked her."  
  
"I heard she couldn't handle public school kids anymore so she moved to a Catholic school," Miranda said.  
  
"We're not that bad," Zoe shrugged.  
  
Alex laughed. "Someone killed her car last week. They egged it, keyed it and spray painted some nasty things. Trust me, she was right for going. I think she failed someone last year and they just came back with payback."  
  
"Massive," Zoe replied.  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "Sometimes I feel bad that Sunny isn't here for moments like these. It seems small and it is like something that happens everyday. But it still seems wrong to laugh. Than other times I think, oh well. She chose to leave. If I want to laugh I'll laugh. I miss her and she's a big part of my life but life seems to go on without her to." ~*  
  
Zoe kept walking but felt herself being watched. She looked around, not seeing anyone watch her, so she shrugged it off. She looked back at Miranda and Alex who were discussing something stupid Alex had done. Zoe and Alex said bye to Miranda and went to the gym.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jessie walked out of her last class and left the building. She looked around the campus and then up at the dark sky. The weather man had said it would rain. She sighed and remembered that she had forgotton her umbrella at home. On her way to the bus stop it started to rain extrememly hard. But she didn't bother to run.  
  
A bunch of kids who had been studying or just sitting on the lawn started to run inside. Jessie watched them run inside or toward the library. The rain wasn't bothering her much though. If she were to run to the bus stop it would make no difference. She would still be soaked.  
  
*~JESSIE~*  
  
*~ "I feel sorry for myself. My dad thinks its a bad thing but I figure its better to feel sorry for yourself then for no one to feel sorry for you." ~*  
  
She looked down at the ground while she walk. Her high school friend Michelle used to tell her that that was the pose of a person who wasn't ready for the world. If you looked down at the ground whole you were walking it was like feeling lower then everyone who passes you.  
  
"You have to looked the world in the face when you walk or else everyone will walk all over you," Michelle would say as she deminstrated the right way to walk.  
  
Jessie looked around the now empty campus. The only people left were paniced students trying to get to dry land. When she got to the bus stop she sat down, lay her head back so it pointed to the sky and let the rain fall down her face. When she heard a car stop in front of her she looked down to see her friend Adam.  
  
"Jump in," he yelled.  
  
Jessie did as told and cluimbed into the passenger side seat. "Hey, I thought you got out an hour ago."  
  
"I went to the art room," Adam said as he drove off. "The teacher said that I could sit through a class of his." Jessie nodded. "His name is Mark Collins. He's an old friend of the family. Do you like art? I could get you in."  
  
"I'll think about it," she smiled.  
  
"He's not like old guy professor. He's 23 and just out of college himself really. A lot like you and me actually. The dark dressing, punk looking, new age freaky stuff."  
  
"Wow, and he's a teacher," Jessie said. She looked back from the window. "Don't mistake me, Adam. I used to be a preppy little girl. Not until college did all I wear was mostly black. But this stuff came with the new attitude."  
  
Adam laughed. "That: 'I rule the world so back off' attitude."  
  
"That's the one," Jessie replied.  
  
When Adam dropped her off she walked into an empty house. She checked the answering machine but there was nothing. Then she went in to the living room and took off her soaked jacket.  
  
Her mind drifted to what Adam had said. Maybe she could take up a free art course. If Adam could get it for her of course. But it would be interresting to take up Art. Then in January she could take it up as an actual class. She just didn't know how good she was at drawing. She did small sketches and doodles but never thought anything of them. It was just something to do to pass the time.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Orlando jumped out of his thin sleep at the sound of the front door opening. He looked over the back of the couch to see Grace skimming through their mail. She walked over and dropped his on top of him.  
  
"I figured all you'd be doing until Eli got back was lie around and feel sorry for yourself," she told him. "Are you hungry? We could order out or I could make grilled cheese."  
  
"Pizza menus are-" he started.  
  
"I know," Grace stopped him. "Not my first time here. I helped Eli move in."  
  
Orlando sat up all the way and watched her walk into the kitchen. "As long as you're here. The other night when Jessie, me and Zoe were in the room, right before we came out, Jessie said something about Eli only knowing me for a month."  
  
"Oh!" Grace said quickly. "Sense I don't like you I tried to make Rick not like you. I mean I didn't want to see your face like every single day. So I lied and said he barely knew you. When truthfully he's known you for a year. I still didn't want you here."  
  
"Mean," he shivered.  
  
Grace gave a half smile. "Well, a week before the announcement of you living here you said I was clingy. I never wanted to see your face again. But Rick ruined my plan and said that he trust Eli and that Eli was old enough to make these kinds of decisions."  
  
"So, it was pretty much thrown back in your face," he laughed. "So you never straightened it out."  
  
She shook her head. "I forgot."  
  
Grace ordered a pizza and then the two set up a game of Monopoly. After the pizza had arrived Orlando had found some wine. After playing Monopoly for an hour they had abandoned it and sat on the couch talking. They had already gone through a bottle and a half of wine.  
  
"Okay, Truth or Dare?" Grace asked.  
  
Orlando thought. "Truth."  
  
"Let me think," Grace said. "Okay, I have one. If you had caught up with Rachel at the airport, what would have you done?"  
  
"I have no idea. I for one am not ready for a commitment. I wouldn't have asked her to marry me. But maybe I could have gotten her to stay. Truthfully, I was thinking on going on instinct. Who knows? Maybe I might have said good luck and called her a slut. Okay, now you. Truth or Dare?"  
  
"Truth," she told him.  
  
"What really happened in Europe?" he asked.  
  
She stared at him. "I don't think I'm drunk enough to tell you. Wait, you have to promise not to tell Eli. I mean, drunken promise. Like, you completely forget I told you and I will tell you."  
  
"I promise," he said and held his right hand up.  
  
"Okay, well, it was wild. Every moment was like a dream. I don't even think I slept. Sarah and I met up in France. We went to this beautiful little cafe where they had the greatest little pastries. It was owned by these to guys named Mark and Joe. Joe and Sarah started to go out and Mark and I tagged along a lot. That was all in June. But by the end of June we were no longer tag alongs. All four of us were just this group of fun. This girl named Mary, who was Mark's sister, told Mark and Joe to travel with us. So they did. We went everywhere we could. Then in August was the big wow thing. I don't know if I want anyone to know..."  
  
"Come on," Orlando said. "You have to."  
  
Grace's cell phone began to ring and she quickly picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey," Eli's voice came through the line.  
  
"Oh, hey, Eli," Grace smiled.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Sitting here with Orlando. I'm on suicide watch and also a little bit tipsy. He found wine. Now, I could be wrong, but I think he's trying to get me drunk enough to get me into bed. But I so gently explained to him that there is not enough alcohol in the world to get me that drunk and that I find him repulsive."  
  
"As long as you strtched the point," he laughed.  
  
"Oh, he knows. What about you? How's the band doing?" she asked as she stood up and walked over to the counted.  
  
"They're doing pretty good. I'll only be here for two days more. It was really nothing big. I'm not really sure why they need me here. But tomorrow we have the show and then on Wednesday was have a rocording studio thing. They played with U2 last night and it went pretty good."  
  
"Two more days?" she said. "I'll try and deal."  
  
There was a moment of silence on his end and then some distant talking. "Turns out they do need me. I'll call you back tomorrow."  
  
"Okay, have fun, love you," Grace said and hung up the phone. She looked over to see Orlando watching her. "What?"  
  
"Friday night when your mom said Sarah called about Europe you looked paniced," he said.  
  
Grace shrugged. "So."  
  
"You tell me," he said.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Zoe knocked on Ralf's door after not seeing him sense she blew up at him. It had gotten late and she was coming home from her friends house. His apartment was one of the bus stops. She figured she might stop in and apologize for what she said. Not that anything she said was wrong. Maybe it was just the way she said it to him that she would apologize for.  
  
She figured at that second on the other side of the door Ralf was staring through the peep hole deciding whether to answer or not. She heard the look slowly come undone and Ralf then slowly opened the door. He stepped aside and let her in.  
  
"Sorry," she said, immediatly getting to the point.  
  
"Okay," Ralf replied as he closed the door and leaned against it.  
  
"One of these days you're going to reveal yourself to Jessie," she stated. "You're going to be like, 'Hey, Jessie, I'm back.' But when? You can't hide here forever you know. It could have easily been Jess sitting on that bench rather then me. What would have you said?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Zoe nodded. "Okay. I just had to say it."  
  
After leaving his apartment she went straight home. Jessie was alone, watching the sleeping twins. When Zoe came in she hushed her to make sure she didn't wake the light sleepers.  
  
"Where were you?" Jessie whispered.  
  
"Bus was late," she lied. There came a knock on the door after her. "I'll get it."  
  
She checked her watch as she walked to the door. It was after ten o'clock. Who would be coming so late? When she opened the door her jaw dropped in surprise. Jessie jumped up after hearing the silence and walked over to the door.  
  
"Oh my God," Zoe whispered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Sorry had to try the whole Cliff Hanger thing. Now who could be out the door. There are a few people if you think about it. Okay. Sorry by the way if people dont like cliff hangers. My sister hated it :). Okays. Siddalee! 


	30. Chapter 30

PART 30  
  
"Oh my God," Zoe whispered.  
  
"Surprise!" Sunny giggled happily.  
  
Zoe could barely react. "Oh my God."  
  
"I know," Sunny said. "I've been back all day. I was down at the school and saw like everyone but I didn't say anything. Everyone looked so happy and you guys were laughing. So I waited. And hi."  
  
"Hi!" Zoe cheered and finally hugged her.  
  
She looked different... older. Her blonde hair was still long and down to thwe bottom of her back. She wasn't dressed in her usual hippy cloths. Instead she wore a white wifebeater and tight blue jeans. She looked like a normal teenager instead of the little hippy girl that left.  
  
"What are you doing back?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Well we haven't found Ralf and we found Rainbow but she hadn't seen him in forever," Sunny explained as Zoe lead her to the couch. "We waited for him and he never came back. So we looked still. After figuring out his path of choice from someone else we somehow got back here. Which is weird?" She looked over at Jessie. "He's not here right?"  
  
"No," Jessie said. "I don't think so."  
  
Sunny looked back at Zoe. "Heather wants me to get into school and stuff. She told me to get back into my normal life." She once again looked at Jessie. "She told me to tell you she'll drop by tomorrow."  
  
"I am so happy you're back," Zoe smiled. "You have to tell me everything. What was it like out there?"  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "I'm really speachless. Every word that's coming out of my mouth is very thought out. I just don't know what to say. Of course there's that extra layer of 'I know where Ralf is' going through my mind." ~*  
  
"Amazing!" Sunny sighed. "Everywhere you turn out there is new. Its new its its exciting. Nothing like here. I don't regret going. But, oddly enough, when I came back I expected things to be the same. Maybe they are but when I left you and Alex weren't the best friends of the century. You were talking but..."  
  
"Yeah, but he moved past all that stuff," Zoe told her. "We are like always together anymore. There was a rumor a while ago that we were together. But soon passed of course. I mean, its Alex."  
  
"Do you think I can get back into the group?" Sunny asked.  
  
"Yeah!" Zoe laughed.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jessie decided not to go to school. Sense Sunny appeared on their doorstep the night before she couldn't concentrate. She stayed up all night wishing for someone to talk to. When Rick and Lily had gotten home they were so shocked and let Sunny sleep over so the girls could catch up. That morning Zoe took Sunny to school as a visitor.  
  
But Jessie waited for Heather to come and see her. She sat in the empty house... waiting.  
  
Lily had taken the twins to Judy's so she could wastch them. She had thought Jessie was going to school and she didn't correct her. If Heather were to come, she didn't want any interuptions. She wanted to see her and not have to worry about anything else.  
  
There came a knock on the door.  
  
Jessie jumped at the sound. She slowly climbed to her feet and continued in her slow motion to the door. Maybe it wasn't even her. It could be anybody. But she hoped it was Heather. When she opened the door Heather stared back at her.  
  
"Heather!" Jessie smiled and hugged her.  
  
Like Sunny, Heather had changed. Her once long brown hair with streaks had been cut out and she was left with hair that just went over the shoulder. She looked more mature as if she's had many life expieriences. She wore a white skirt that went to her knees and a regular black shirt, nothing to big.  
  
"You look great!" Jessie cheered.  
  
Heather took a look at Jessie's new dark/gothic look. "And you look like you've been through hell and back."  
  
"Just to hell, I seem stuck on the third level," Jessie joked. "I've missed you."  
  
"I've missed you," Heather said, hugging her once more. "I'm so sorry I left. But I felt like I had to. You have to tell me everything. How's Johnny and Kyle and Michelle and everyone?"  
  
"Come in," Jessie said and pulled her inside. "I actually haven't seen or talked to anyone for a while. We all lost touch. After Ralf and you left we weren't much of a group."  
  
"You're kidding me," Heather said with amazement. "See, truthfully, I thought if Ralf was out of the picture Kyle would make his move."  
  
"Kyle went away and Michelle went to a college far far away and Johnny went God knows where and you and Ralf went where you went," she explained as she sat on the couch and Heather sat next to her. "Seems I was the only one who stayed put."  
  
"I feel like we should have a reunion!" Heather cheered as she jumped to her feet. "I don't care where. I've been gone for a long time and I want to see them. Do you have any of their numbers?"  
  
"All of them," Jessie explained.  
  
Heather grabbed her hand. "Than what are we waiting for."  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Sunny!" Tatu screamed with excitement.  
  
"Tatu!" Sunny screamed back. She quickly hugged her. "Long time no see."  
  
Zoe tapped Sunny on the shoulder and pointed down the hallway. Alex stood at the end in total shock. The two girl had been so excited the night before they had forgotten to call him. Sunny smiled and started to walk toward him. But she developed into a run. Once she reached him she leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around him.  
  
"Hi," she laughed, not letting go.  
  
Zoe linked arms with Tatu as they watched them. Then when Alex put Sunny back on the floor the two girls ran over and joined their hug. People stared but the four friends didn't pay attention to anybody else. Sunny was their main thought.  
  
"Okay, tell us everything," Alex smiled.  
  
Sunny looked at the four of them. "There's not nearly enough time."  
  
"Lets go!" Zoe cheered. "We're sophomores. We have two more years to make up any work."  
  
Sunny went out the front door after signing out as a visitor. She met the other three on the side of school. They jumped on the bus and started toward Tatu's empty house. When they got there fifteen minutes later Tatu checked the windows to be careful. Then all four ran in and went straight for the attic where her parents would never go.  
  
"So where did you go?" Tatu asked.  
  
"Across the US," Sunny said as she tossed a scarf she had just fpund over her shouder. She looked at herself in the tall mirror. "We went to Hollywood to see the movie stars and of course we saw no one."  
  
"Did you find Rainbow?" Alex asked. "Or Ralf?"  
  
"We found Rainbow in Florida but no Ralf," Sunny answered sadly. "I just really wish I knew where he was."  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "I'm not aloud to tell her. But I want to so bad. She's so sad." ~*  
  
"I bet he's fine," Zoe reasured her.  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "That's it. Use knowledge without giving to much away." ~*  
  
"Our trail lead us right back here," Sunny continued. "A while back a man said he talked about going home. That was months ago though. So if he came back two months ago he could be anywhere now. I thought Jessie would know."  
  
*~ZOE~*  
  
*~ "Or me." ~*  
  
"Zoe's right!" Tatu cheered. "I bet he's fine. After all, he is eighteen. Its legal for him to go off on his own and only right. I mean, when I turn eighteen I'm out of here. Don't tell me non of you feel the same."  
  
Sunny smiled. "It was amazing, all right. Out there it was like having the world at your finger tips. It feels different when you're staying put. Its like the oppertunity is right in front of you-" she reached her hand out as if touching something invisible "-but you can't reach it or you're to affraid to touch it." She put her hand down and smiled at her friends.  
  
"Sounds about right," Alex said.  
  
"But its always good to come home," Sunny stated.  
  
Zoe stood up. "I have to go to the bathroom."  
  
"Be careful," Tatu told her.  
  
She just nodded and walked downstairs. She quietly shut the door behind her and took out her cell phone. As she looked through her phone book she went into the bathroom and closed the door. Then she held it to her ear and cleared her throat so she could whisper better. The dial tone continued with no pick up.  
  
"Yeah!" Ralf's voice came in a rush.  
  
"Hey, its me," she whispered.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" he asked. There was a small silence. "Why are you whispering?"  
  
"Sunny and Heather are back," Zoe continued, ignoring his questions.  
  
"Back?" he asked with surprise. "Well, good if you ask me. Sunny needs to be in school."  
  
Zoe groaned. "No! You don't get it. Not only will Jessie be mad that I hid you but now Sunny, my best friend friend will."  
  
"I don't want to come out of hiding yet," Ralf said. "I want to be doing good so that when I do finally go back to that life I would have accomplished something. I'm doing good in this job and sooner or later I promise I will. If you want you can forget all about me."  
  
"No," Zoe said in a normal voice as she stood up straight.  
  
"Why not?" Ralf asked. "It'll make things better."  
  
"Because I don't want to," she smiled. There was a knock on the door. "I'll call you back."  
  
"Zo!" Tatu's voice came through the door. "Don't worry it's me."  
  
Zoe opened the door with a smile. "I heard a noise and then the knock. You scared me. I thought it would be your dad or mom or something."  
  
"You done?" she asked. "We're waiting for you." She grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Sunny needs school," Heather said as she hugged her knees. "I knew that. I descovered like a month ago. But when September rolled around we were so hot on his trail. Plus, she was like this little adult beside me. I didn't even think about it after the beginning of August."  
  
Jessie smiled. "Well, I'm glad something brought you back."  
  
"Rainbow was no big help when we saw her," Heather stated. "And Sunny was right there, adoring her much older sister. She wouldn't admit it though. I would tell her not to get to attached because Rainbow was a wacko. She would lie and say she wasn't attached. But one night they had this outside peace thing and Rainbow made a speach by the fire. Sunny ate up every word."  
  
*~JESSIE~*  
  
*~ "Heather has this anger toward Rainbow that I can't explain. It goes beyond sibling fighting." ~*  
  
"She looks up to you to," Jessie told her.  
  
Heather shrugged. "Maybe. But even if she did, I'm around more. Rainbow is the one who went off on her own. She never sees her. So she wants to. And all the time she can spend with her is precious. She just doesn't get that Rainbow doesn't feel the same. I mean, Rainbow wasn't even happy to see us. She treated us like strangers."  
  
"Did you go see your parents?" Jessie asked.  
  
Heather nodded. "Yeah. They asked about Ralf and Rainbow and welcomed us back. Then they asked, 'Why didn't you two stay and help spread the peace with your sister?' As if they were disappointed I put the needs of the child first. I wanted to hit them. And Sunny hated disappointing them."  
  
"You want her, don't you," Jessie said, reading between the lines.  
  
"I would make a far better parent then they do," Heather told her. "She needs someone who is there for her. I would be any time that she needed me. We bonded this summer. I really don't want to let her go." 


	31. Chapter 31

Part 31  
  
"Hey, Johnny!" Heather cheered into the phone. She smiled at Jessie. "Guess what? I'm back."  
  
"Sense when?" Johnny asked.  
  
Heather couldn't help but smile. Johnny maintained her tough girl attitude. It was kind of refreshing compared to the change that Jessie had gone through. She looked over at Jessie who was pouring a cup of coffee. She had changed, not just by looks either.  
  
"A couple nights ago," Heather answered. "Listen, I want to see everybody. Do you still talk to anyone?"  
  
"Kyle every once in a while and he talks to Michelle," Johnny answered. "But none of us has seen Jessie as far as I know and Ralf is well, hey, you went after him."  
  
"Ralf is still at large and you let me handle Jessie," Heather smiled. "I know just where to look. Okay, make out a date with the three of them. I'm open for anything. Just as long as we're together."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Johnny said.  
  
"I was thinking about going dancing," Heather said into the phone but looked over at Jessie for her reaction. She nodded in agreement. "Then maybe dinner or something."  
  
After hanging up with Johnny, Heather got herself a cup of coffee. It was still early in the morning, around seven o'clock. Everyone else was just waking up. She had called Johnny early because she was unsure if she could reach her at another time. And the reason why she did it at Jessie was because she had been sleeping over. She really had no where else to go for the past week.  
  
"Morning," Zoe smiled as she walked into the kitchen in her pajamas.  
  
"Morning," Jessie and Heather said in unison.  
  
"Sunny starts school today," Heather informed her, although Zoe most likely knew.  
  
Zoe smiled. "I know. Its great." She jumped up took Jessie's coffee and went upstairs.  
  
"Here, Zo, want some coffee... have mine!" Jessie yelled after her. Then turned and got another mug. "I know what you mean about the sister attachment thing. I have it with Grace and Zoe. All three of us used to hate each other. Now I don't feel whole without them. And they're not even my real sisters."  
  
"I thought you'd know by now," Heather smiled. "They are. Maybe not by blood but by heart. For Eli its different I think. He never saw them the way you did."  
  
Jessie nodded in agreement. "I think so to."  
  
Lily hadn't woken up yet. She slept while Rick got up and got ready. She had off from work and that was the only day she had to rest. Like everyone she had dreams. She rolled over many times making Rick think it was a bad dream.  
  
LILLY'S DREAM  
  
"Everyone hurry up!" Lily yelled up the stairs.   
  
Grace ran downstairs with a smile, she was young, like first season young. "Sorry, mom. I had to get last nights homework down. My boyfriend kept me up all night."  
  
"You have a boyfriend?" Lily asked.  
  
"Duh," Grace said and walked past.   
  
Zoe ran down next, she was the same age as she was now. "I'm going with a few friends to school. Hope that's okay."  
  
Lily watched her go past and she looked over at the now older Grace.   
  
Next Jessie came down with Eli at toe. They smiled at her and went over to the others in the kitchen. Now they were all young like the first time they moved in. She watched Eli and Grace flirting. Suddenly, that moment was deja vou. They always flirted.   
  
Lily jumped forward. The room was now empty. She let out a sigh. There were so many signs that those two would get together. Maybe there were signs that they were together but it just looked like flirting. They got along so well that Lily never thought to ask if they liked each other. If she brought it up to Grace she'd just get mad.  
  
She climbed out of bed and went downstairs where Zoe, Jessie, Heather, Rick and Sunny were in the kitchen. They were laughing about something someone had said. But Lily was unsure of what and who. She hated coming in at the end of conversations. Not that she really went in. She sat on the stairs and rubs her tired eyes first.  
  
"Hey!" she heard Eli's cheerful voice as the back door opened and closed.  
  
"E!" Jessie cheered and most likely hugged him.  
  
He had probably gotten back from New York the night before. He had called and told everyone that he was staying later because the recording studio was closed until further notice. Later in the week he called and told them he'd be home by Sunday night.  
  
"Hey, Heather, Sunny, long time no see," he said.  
  
As Lily got up and walked in Sunny said in a flirting manner, "Hey, Eli, still cute as ever."  
  
"Okay, raise your hand if ew," Zoe said as she slightly raised her hand.  
  
"He's dating YOUR sister," Sunny laughed.  
  
Lily sighed. "Okay. Its getting late. You two should be getting to school."  
  
"Yeah, you two ready?" Rick asked.  
  
Sunny and Zoe grabbed their bags and headed out the door before him. He kissed Lily goodbye, then Jessie and left. Lily grabbed a cup of coffee and the morning paper and went back upstairs. It wasn't till she got all the way up stairs until she heard anyone speak.  
  
"That seemed aquard," Heather said.  
  
"You usually go somewhere after school," Sunny said as if begging. "I just want to know where. Some boys house maybe? And don't give me the Tatu's house crap you feed your parents. I asked Tatu and she said you are hardly there anymore."  
  
Zoe ignored her, not thinking of a really good lie. She just laughed and shook her head. Then she grabbed Sunny's wrist and pulled her over to their group of friends. But Sunny didn't know everyone so she tried to stay quiet. The group of people contained six and she only knew two, including Zoe. She heard the bell ring but no one moved.  
  
"Shouldn't we be getting in?" she asked, suddenly feeling stupid for asking.  
  
"Depends, who do you have first?" Miranda asked Sunny.  
  
Sunny took her roster out of her pocket and looked at it. "Conners."  
  
"Then, yeah," a couple of them laughed.  
  
"Oh come on, he's not that bad," Zoe defended him.  
  
"Only because he likes you," a very tall boy said.  
  
Zoe looked over at Sunny. "Come on. I'll introduce you to him."  
  
She waved goodbye to her friends then went inside with Sunny. Zoe still had her popular status. But this year people knew her and she didn't have the trouble of getting to know anyone. Sunny recognized many old friends but some of them didn't even notice her pass. When they got to room 213 Alex was outside waiting for Zoe and was surprise when he saw Sunny.  
  
"Hey," he smiled. "You have Conners. Talk about bad luck." A man cleared his throat from inside the room, standing close to the door. "Oh, hi, Mr. Conners."  
  
"Are you planning on joining us, Alexander, or are you going to sit here and insult me to the new girl some more?" Mr. Conners asked.  
  
Alex looked at Zoe and Sunny then back at the teacher. "I'll join you."  
  
After he walked in with his head down Zoe followed. She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his kneck from behind him and pushed herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist to hold herself up. Alex carried her to the back then dropped her by her seat. Sunny talked to the teacher then he pointed to a seat in the back for her near Zoe.  
  
By the front of the classroom a girl screamed and jumped up from her desk. "Not funny, Ryan!" she yelled. All down the fron of her was a bright blue colored liquid. The boys laughed it up while she ran out of the room. Sunny looked over to see Zoe and Alex laughing with their friends as well.  
  
SUNNY  
  
"I feel so weird being back. Its like I've missed so much in such a small amount of time."   
  
Zoe jumped off the bus and waited for it to pass and then ran across the street. She walked all the way to Ralf's apartment with the occassional skip that she just couldn't help. When she got to his place he hadn't gotten home from work yet. She grabbed the key from under the mat and let herself in, as usual.  
  
"Ralf?" she yelled, just to make sure. "Are you here? I'm going through your things! Oh what's this?"  
  
When he didn't answer she shrugged and went into his room. She walked over to his bedside table and opened the drawer. Inside were picture envolope and some paper and pens. She took out the pictures and flipped through them. Many were of him and the old group he and Jessie used to hang out with. Zoe remember all of them from times they had come over. But Jessie never included her in her plans.  
  
"Ralf?" she heard a girl come in the front door.  
  
Zoe looked up in surprise then ran around the other side of the bed. She fell to the floor then crawled under it. Thank goodness she was under the bed because the girl came into the room. She stood right beside the bed. All Zoe could see were her feet. She had on red heals. Guessing by her feet Zoe thought of her being skinny, blonde and a buit slutty. The front door once again opened and closed and Zoe guessed it to be Ralf.  
  
"Ralf?" the girl asked and went back into the living room. "There you are."  
  
"Gena," Ralf said with shock. "What are you doing here? How'd you get in?"  
  
"The door was open, you should learn to lock it," Gena said. "Any lunatic could come right in."  
  
"I see that," Ralf said.  
  
Zoe smiled at his comment. Obviously Gena didn't understand he had just insulted her. She moved on in her conversation about how her friends had been talking about him. She said how they thought he was a major cutie and shouldn't keep to himself. Then she brought up Zoe.  
  
"... And Allison always sees some young slut coming in here everyday," she said without even thinking. "She's to young for you, that's what she thinks. So I figured you'd be open for dinner with me."  
  
"For your information... did you say the door was unlocked?" Ralf jumped backwards then got his head straight. "Anyways, she is not a slut and she's eighteen. And I don't think its any of your business who I date. I keep to myself to keep away from people like you and your friends. Could you please get out of my apartment."  
  
Zoe pictured Gena's shocked face. "You're kicking me out?"  
  
"I don't like blondes," he said. Zoe smiled to herself at her good job guessing. "So, I have a bunch of things to do."  
  
"Fine," Gena said then left.  
  
Ralf walked into his room and stopped beside his bed. She wondered if he knew she was there. But she didn't want to give herself up for some reason. Maybe he didn't even think about it. But she was wrong. Ralf knelt down and looked under the bed. She was just smiling at him.  
  
"Friend of yours?" she asked.  
  
"No," he smiled and reached out for her hand. She took it and he just pulled her out really quick. "Why did you hide?"  
  
Zoe sat up and shrugged. "She came in, it wasn't you, I hid. Who is she?"  
  
"Gena, she lives a couple apartments down," Ralf answered and sat up against his bed. "She and her friends tend to bother me a lot. I try everything to get rid of them so I considered the next step would be moving."  
  
"They might follow," Zoe laughed.  
  
"Oh God no," Ralf laughed with her.  
  
About an hour later they were sitting on the couch watching a soup opera. They argued about a few things on the soap and Ralf would occassionally say, "I can't believe I'm watching this." After the show was over Zoe checked her watch and jumped up in surprise. Ralf just watched her walk around to the back of the couch. She leaned on it and smiled at him.  
  
"So, you still haven't mentioned them," she said. "Were you not planning to or waiting for me?"  
  
"How are they?" he asked.  
  
Zoe nodded. "Okay. They miss you though." She pushed herself up straight. "I have to get home. I'll talk to you later. And you were lying right? When you said you didn't like blonds."  
  
"It really doesn't matter," Ralf smiled.  
  
Zoe collected her things and started toward the door. She stopped and took the pictures she had been looking at out of her bookbag. Then she sat them on the kitchen counter and walked out, wondering if Ralf got up to see what it was. As soon as she walked out a tall blonde girl got in her way.  
  
"Excuse me," Zoe said kindly.  
  
"Why yous always around here anyways?" the girl asked.  
  
Zoe stopped and looked up at her. Then she looked down at her feet to see the red shoes. All she could think of doing was crossing her arms to show the girl she wasn't backing down from what she had to say. The girl didn't even pay attention to her actions. She looked her up and down to see if she had a good figure or face.  
  
"Yous really eighteen?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Zoe finally spoke.  
  
Gena shrugged. "What's he see in you anyways? There ain't nothin' to ya. Just skin and bones. I bet you one of the pom-pom girls to. You cheer on the football team, little girl?"  
  
"What was your name? Jenny?" Zoe asked although she knew.  
  
"Gena, G-na," Gena corrected her.  
  
"Whatever, I really don't care," Zoe said and started to walk away. "I have places to be."  
  
The date on the ticket read the date of that day. It was a late plane Sarah had gotten them for. Grace didn't know why it was so late. All she could do was study every part of it. She heard a knock on her door so she quickly shoved it under her pillow. The door opened and Eli walked in carefully.  
  
"Hey!" Grace smiled.  
  
GRACE  
  
"He got back last night and we talked on the phone real quick. But the conversation didn't last long because he was tired."   
  
"So, how was New York?" she asked.  
  
"Good," he answered. "I liked it a lot. Its a great place to visit. Amanda and I went to a bunch of places." Grace looked up, feeling a little jealous but he wasn't even looking at her to notice. "Plus the band did really good. I thought me and you could go out for dinner tonight."  
  
"So, your life is okay," she said, staring at the wall, but her eyes made her look like she was somewhere else. He looked over confused. "I mean, your doing pretty okay."  
  
"Yeah, you could say that," he answered. "So, you want to go to dinner?"  
  
Grace looked back over at him. "I can't. I have plans."  
  
"Oh, okay," he said as he stood up. "So, I'll see you later."  
  
Grace got up and kissed him passionatly when she pulled away she kept her forehead together with his. "Yeah, sure, later."  
  
"Okay," he said with confusion and left the room.  
  
When he left she locked the door and went back to her pillow. She pulled out the ticket and a letter. On the return adress it read: Mark Lefret. She grabbed a backpack and started throughing cloths in to it. She then tossed it over her should then picked up the phone and dialed for a taxi. Once she got one she grabbed her large purse that had CDs and things like makeup and other small things and tossed it over her neck. She took out three letters from her desk and put them on her bed. One had Buddy's name and the other Eli's and the last to her mom. Then she took her lap top off the desk and packed it into it's case. Then she rushed out of the room.  
  
When she got into the cab she had a small tear running down her cheek. The cab driver noticed, she could tell. He had kept looking at her through the mirror. He helped her get her bags out when they got to the airport and then drove away. She picked them all up and went inside. 


	32. Authors Note

A/N: Hey, its Siddalee. Sorry I haven't written in a really long time. But I'm going to reread every chapter and get to know the story again. Then I'm going to try and write another chapter to see if I can get back into the story. Hopefully I can have another chapter by this week. Thank you so much for your patients. And any readers who have recently read my story, thank you too. Just a little while longer and the wait will be over.

Things to look foward to:

1.) What will happen when old friends get together?  
2.) Will Sunny ever fit back in at school?  
3.) Will Zoe convince Ralf to come out of hiding?  
4.) When Ralf comes out of hiding, will his relationship with Zoe change?  
And the big one: Did Grace leave for Europe?

When I write the next chapter it will be in this chapter. I'll announce its a new chapter in the summery. 


End file.
